The Intricacies
by TBHPOUAT
Summary: Gemima Black was a hatstall. It took the sorting hat five minutes and seven seconds to place her. Gryffindor verses Slytherin. From the the start of her Hogwarts experience, she has been torn - first between houses then between her family and her beliefs. At the encouragement of her father, Gemima accepts a deal from Dumbledore - her safety in exchange for her brother's. OC x OC.
1. Prologue

_**Hello Readers. Welcome to my new story - The Intricacies. It is OC x OC and side-pairings will not always be canon.**_

 _ **There are a couple things you should note before reading this story to understand the plot:**_

 _· **Some characters are OOC, like the Malfoys and Ron Weasley.**_

 _· **Narcissa Malfoy in this story is not related to Sirius, Regulus, Bellatrix or Andromeda in anyway. She was never a Black. She is a Selwyn for the purposes of plot. Also, besides Narcissa and my OC, there are no more Selwyns left.**_

 _· **Not everything will be canon - there will be changes to the original events, e.g. deaths of main characters and such.**_

 _· **This is a first draft. There will be typos that I have missed. Rest assured that at the end, when I have finished writing this story, I will go back and edit it all.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Prologue**

I knew I was not my father's daughter by the time I was seven years old. I had not my father's hair nor his eyes or any other aspect. Where his hair was light, my hair was dark and unruly. Where my eyes were as grey as a normal London day, my father's eyes were as blue as the purest water. My brother, Draco, did in fact have all of these features – pure blonde hair, blue eyes so bright that they looked grey. All their mannerisms were the same, also. But it was not these differences that allowed for my realisation on that faithful day in February.

Often my mother would whisk me away for a week or so under the pretence of girly days and shopping sprees and mother-daughter bonding. This had never seemed odd to me, even when none of this occurred with Draco, my little brother. During these trips, we would do just that – shop and talk (and gossip) and visit friends and travel to exotic, far-off places. It was on one of these trips that my mother and I ran into Andromeda Black – a blood traitor, my mother had said. I nodded then as if those words held some meaning to me. In truth, they didn't.

Andromeda Black had the curliest hair I had ever seen before, besides my own, and it was this that led me to guess that she had some relation to me. So, as my mum and Andromeda were talking, I engaged in some well-worn habits and asked in the sweetest, innocent voice I had perfected: "Are you related to us?"

My mum looked so startled that I half-regretted asking but the society I had grown up in had taught me to do as you pleased and cover it up later with well-concealed masks and heavy bags of galleons. Andromeda, on the other hand, looked triumphant. She leaned down next to me, not caring about her pretty robes and said, "I think so, sweetheart. Shall we ask your mum?"

I nodded so sweetly that I think she doubted – and still does from time to time – that I had been raised as a Malfoy and bore their name, too.

My mother put a hand on my shoulder and sighed, wearily. "I think it is best that we go somewhere private and talk."

My mother apparated us back to the grand hotel we were staying in for two days until we moved on to our next luxurious location. Andromeda followed easily and they both cast some spells. Severus Snape was my brother's godfather and normally when he visited us, I persuaded him to teach me anything and everything he could about magic and potions and wards. It was because of him that my seven-year-old mind could comprehend that my mother and Andromeda Black (Her surname was really Tonks through marriage but I preferred to call her Black – It allowed a kinship between us that we both enjoyed) were actually securing our hotel room from nosy people.

"Well then," said Andromeda. "Do you want to start, Narcissa?" Narcissa is my mum's name. She had been a Selwyn before marriage and it was because of this that when my grandmother, the last Selwyn, had passed away, she had left me quite a big fortune – big enough to rival my father's (both of them). Andromeda took a seat in one of the long, plush couches and poured herself a cup of tea from the porcelain tea pot.

"Yes, Andromeda. Gemima is your second-cousin," my mum seated herself opposite of my new-found cousin, allowing Andromeda to pour her a cup of tea, also. They both used warming charms to heat them up. "Gemima, darling, why don't you go try on those new clothes we bought today?"

I knew as a good pureblood daughter that I should say, "Yes, mummy" and walk primly out of the room, allowing for the adults to say what they may. But when unnecessary, it had always been hard of me to fit myself into that role, especially as a child. This is why I shook my head and sat beside my mother on the sofa and told her, strongly, "No, you're are going to talk about me. And I have a right to know who my _real_ father is."

My mum re-adopted her startled expression from earlier. "Your real father? Sweetheart, you know Lucius is your real father."

"No, I don't," I had said, stubbornly. "I look nothing like him or Draco and neither of them are related to Miss Black, are they?"

My mum had to place the tea cup back onto the small table standing nearby due to her shaky hands. Andromeda placed her hand over hers to calm her. "She's right, Narcissa. You can't keep her in the dark forever. Eventually, she'll grow up and, as the last suitable heir, it will be her right – maybe her destiny – to claim her heritage if she wants it. She is a Black, Narcissa, you know this."

My mother nodded sharply and, as a rare occurrence, kneeled down in front of me, taking my hands in hers as Andromeda had. "Gemima, your daddy loves you very much, don't you understand?" I nodded. "But before Lucius became your daddy, you had another. I loved him, you see. We went to Hogwarts at the same time and grew up together and I was going to marry him. I loved him. But he was disowned from his family. My mother, your grandmother, wanted me to break the betrothal contact but I couldn't. I was going to marry him no matter what. She disowned me, too."

At this part, Andromeda joined us on this couch. My mum was completely crying now – soft, silent tears running down her beautiful face. I started to cry, too. When I first figured out that my father wasn't my father, I'd dreamt up stories and stories of true love and forbidden romance. My mum and my real dad, together forever. Maybe he'd come back, declare that he loved me and needed me. It was in this moment that pureblood society was revealed to me as a whole – destructive, cold and selfish. More tears slipped out and I threw myself into my mother's arms. She cradled me. When I look back at that moment know, knowing what I do, I realise that I had always been a piece of my biological father to her and, even as she grew to love Lucius in some ways, that was why I was infinitely more special to her than my brother. My brother recognised this as he grew and it strained their relationship but not ours.

"I became pregnant with you, Gemima. He was so happy. He loved you even before you were born. He always said you were a gem in his eyes. So precious and perfect and rare. He chose your name." I wiped the new onslaught of tears away, holding on dearly. "But he died, my darling. And I had to move on. I was only a few months pregnant and Lucius made me an offer I couldn't refuse. He knows the truth, Gem, but he still loves you like he loves Draco. You believe that, right?" I nodded, pulling back to sit on the sofa again, beside my cousin.

From then on, when we'd go on our little excursions, we'd spend four or five days together, bonding and doing girly stuff and talking, and for another two or three days, I'd stay at Andromeda's house and started calling her "Aunt Andy". I met her husband, a muggleborn, Ted Tonks, and their daughter, Nymphadora. I loved them so much and when I couldn't see them, I sent them letters. Draco never found out who the letters went to, but he assumed they were to a friend or something like that. He didn't really care. My dad understood, though, and he allowed the letters to continue. I knew, as time passed, that Lucius really did love me as my mum claimed. These little gestures proved so. He had even claimed me as his first-born, knowing that this would mean that I was the Malfoy Heir, not Draco.

Later on, on that trip in February, after Andromeda had left, I had asked my mum, "What's his name?"

"Regulus Black."


	2. Chapter 1: Christmas Day

**Chapter One**

"Come on, Gem. Hurry up," Draco called from outside the bathroom door. "It's Christmas Day. We should be downstairs by now." I rolled my eyes, sliding out of the bath and tying a fluffy towel around my body. Don't get me wrong – when I roll my eyes, I roll them out of the utmost affection for my younger brother. He was one year younger than me and even though he knows I am not a true Malfoy, he doesn't complain that I am the heir. In truth, I have always believed that he was happy he was not the heir – I got the full brunt of responsibility for this generation and the perks while he just got the perks. Not that I'm complaining, either, my brother deserves his happiness and prepping his reputation at social gatherings has never been what he enjoys. He prefers quidditch over everything. I do, too, if I'm honest, but not as much as him.

I pull my wand from the marble counter and perform a few spells to speed up the process. I can just imagine him out on my bed, sighing irritably. My hair is suddenly dry, as well as my body. The bathroom is clean and the towels washed and returned to their places. While I am only seventeen (in my sixth year at Hogwarts), I still performed magic outside of school and have for years. I live in a wizarding household and any detectable magic can be blamed on my parents and if I'm caught, my father is on the school board and the wizengamot. I am in no danger of expulsion.

I quickly dress in casual dress robes and leave my hair to fall down my back in unruly curls inherited (as I'm told from Aunt Andy) from my father. My other cousin Bellatrix (in Azkaban) also has the same curls. I walk out of the bathroom not too long after Draco's call. Just like I imagined, he is sprawled across my luxurious bed, also wearing casual dress robes and listening to the buzzing of a golden snitch fly around my bedroom. I snatched the ball out of the air.

He sat up suddenly. "Hey! Why did you do that?"

I laughed loudly. "Just showing you how it's done for next year's quidditch tournament." Draco and I competed on opposing teams for Quidditch each year. This year, Ministry Official Dolores Umbridge cancelled Quidditch for the rest of the year. But with the DADA curse, I knew it would only be for this year. I inspected the snitch. There was no inscription on it. Usually, gifted snitches were inscribed with a loving message. "Where did you get this, Draco?" I asked.

"Father bought in for me last week in Diagon Alley." Draco slid it from my fingers and pocketed it, grabbing my arm to drag me out of my beautiful room.

Both of us had matching rooms here in Malfoy Manor – a bedroom with a private bathroom, a walk-in closet and enough room space to fit in a sitting area, a desk and a mahogany book case. Although, in my room there was a giant window that took up half the wall to the right of my bedroom with a gran window-seat and the layout was completely different, as well as the colours. The colours in my room were neutral – purple, white and blue. Draco's room was mostly green, silver, black and brown. I knew my family had been shocked when I was sorted into Gryffindor during my first year. And to appease them, I got rid of any orange or gold and decorated my room with neutral colours.

Our parents were in the first floor drawing room, sitting on a sofa close to the spectacular Christmas tree – adorned with colours of green, silver, purple and blue. They smiled as my fourteen-year-old brother – soon to turn fifteen in a few months – pulled me over to them. We sat on the ground as we always did.

"Morning," I said, brightly, tucking a wild curl behind my ears. "I'm sorry I took so long. I just wanted to annoy Draco." To add affect, I ruffled his platinum blonde hair. He pushed my hand away with as much dignity as you can possibly achieve in one as young as him.

My mother laughed as loudly as she could in times as dark as this. "Go on, Gem, Draco, open your presents."

Both of us exchanged comforting, excited smiles in the safety of our home before pulling the nearest present to us. Mine turned out to have a label of 'Narcissa' (probably from our dad to our mum), so I handed that one off and pulled another to me. This one did indeed have my name on it. I pulled it open with little grace since Draco was already hugging mum and dad for his first gift (a broomstick care kit). My first present turned out to a charm bracelet. It was very pretty and intricate – there was three keys on the dainty chain and in-between each of these key charms were meaningful icons. A book, a potions bottle and a wand. All the charms were really pretty – the detail was so fine. I knew my mum had to have picked that one.

"Thank you," I said, turning to face my parents, grinning widely. "It's so beautiful. Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course, darling," my mum said. My dad and Draco had already started talking about quidditch. When it was just the four of us, our exchanged were loving and warm and we could be ourselves. It was only in the company of others when this reality melted away into a much darker one. I knew that this summer the manor would become darker and darker to accommodate Lord Voldemort. My father wanted out, I also knew, but that was impossible and I could not judge him, knowing what I know about his own acceptance of me.

My mum took the bracelet from me and tied its dainty chain around my left wrist. "Sweetheart," she said. "I picked this gift for you and I picked it for a reason. The three keys are goblin made. They are keys to your vaults. The Selwyn vault, the Malfoy vault and the Black vault. I know you don't need them to enter the vaults but times are changing and the goblins may need identification first." I looked down at the bracelet and retrieved my wand from my robes, casting a non-verbal enlargement charm on one of the keys. It grew and grew until it was a decent size. As I looked closer, I noticed you could clip it on and off.

"Thank you," I repeated. "I'll take good care of them." I allowed the key to shrink again and stashed my wand away.

"Gemima, the other charms were picked for a reason, too. They are all real. That's a real book of general spells for emergencies. That's a spare wand. The potion is vial is empty – ready for your own potion to store. Now, go and open some more presents. I think Draco had already gone through all of his." We both laughed. Sure enough, surrounding Draco were scraps of paper and a multitude of new items from robes to knick-knacks. I reached for my next present, too.

In the end, I received loads of new clothes, some jewellery, books, a new broomstick, potions ingredients and a lot more. Andromeda and her family sent along a letter wishing a Happy Christmas and a broomstick care kit. After opening the rest of the presents and giving hugs and the lot (Mum even gave dad a kiss for a particularly pretty necklace), we headed to the dining room, where the house-elves has set up a range of foods for us to eat.

"Draco, Gemima," said Dad. "How is school?" A typical question from our father during the holidays and any parent, I would wager to guess.

"Awful," I said, putting my fork down. "That ministry official Umbridge keeps picking on the Gryffindors. I heard some of her detention include a blood quill."

My mother put her knife down, at attention. "Has she used one of those of you – either of you?" She asked, looking between Draco and I. We both shook our heads.

"No," answered Draco. "Just mainly Potter and his crew, as well as the Weasley twins. The rest of the school finally seem to understand that they should stay out of trouble this year."

"I came close," I confessed. My father looked up sharply. "I defended a lower year who was being bullied by hexing a seventh year. Umbridge caught me. Severus helped me. I served detention with him instead.!

"We sent a gift to Severus this year, right dear?" Dad asked, patting Narcissa's hand.

"Yes. We sent him a new potions kit."

"Yes, yes, of course. That's good. I'll have a word with the school board but for now, I want both of you to keep your heads down this year. Do you understand?"

Draco and I nodded and then we all continued eating. After another few minutes, mum caught my eye and asked: "Are you excited for our trip away on Saturday?"

I grinned. It was one of our excursions. "Yes, I am. I just need to buy my school supplies and I'm ready to go. Where are we going this time?"

"France," she answered.

I looked up immediately. "Wow." In all our adventures, I'd never been to France. I knew Draco had, with Dad last year, but mum had felt ill so I stayed with her. It was half a business trip, so they had to go. Draco sent me loads of letters raving about everything and brought me back a book on Invented-French-Spells and How-To-Make-Your-Own.

"We'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to buy everything. Draco, will you come with us?"

"Of course, mum.

Mum turned towards Draco now. It was obvious to me that Draco felt that our mum loved him less than me and this had caused animosity on his side. "What will you and your father be doing while we're away?"

"Dad's going to bring me to a Quidditch match. We haven't decided which one yet."

The breakfast continued on, with us each asking questions we didn't get the chance to in our letters. It was all going great until Dad decided he needed to ask me something private. "Gemima," he said. "Are there any boys I need to know about at Hogwarts?"

I started coughing on the bit of food I was swallowing, quickly summoning a glass of water and swallowing some. Draco had started laughing sometime during this episode but my parents were giving me _that_ look. And then I wanted nothing more to disappear. "Um," I said. "Can we leave that sort of thing to a need-to-know basis?"

"So, we don't need to know," Mum said turning to Dad. "I think that implies something, don't you dear?"

"Yes, I do. Draco!"

I turned my gaze on him, warning him. He looked like a ferret then, the one he'd been turned into last year – terrified. My eyes stayed on his but his were on Dad, who was giving him a look.

"She's dating Theodore Nott," he professed.

"Traitor," I hissed.

"Theodore Nott," repeated my father. "Pureblood. A respectable family."

"I broke up with him," I declared. "Last month. Your info is wrong, brother."

"No, it isn't. You're still dating him. You just don't want father to find out or he'll push for a betrothal contract."

"I'm not dating him," I insisted.

"Yes, you are."

"Draco, Gemima," our mother broke in. "That is enough. If your sister says she isn't dating him, then she isn't."

"Yes, mother."

I sighed in relief. The conversation was dropped then. It was true. I had dates Nott but I'd broken up with him when I'd found out he was lusting after my generous inheritance. This was something I was used to – I was the heir to three fortunes after all, publicly.

My surname was officially Black. Not that anyone knew that. The teachers all called me Miss Malfoy and they had since I was sorted, quite shockingly, into Gryffindor. But I had turned seventeen last week – the 17th of December – and had publicly claimed my Black heritage. My father understood fully. My name was now Gemima Black. The reaction of my housemates was not something I was looking forward to. I knew my uncle Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban during my fourth year but I'd had no contact with him.

However, my father had confessed to me that he was innocent. I kind of wanted to find him, meet him, find out if he was anything like Regulus Black. My biological father had been this great mystery dangled over me my whole life – he'd realised that blood purity wasn't all that and defected. And he was killed for it. By Lord Voldemort. I hated him with all of me – I didn't judge my father for his choice as an adolescent but I would be killed before I succumbed to it also. I would ensure this was the same for Draco. I would act like the perfect pureblood daughter (without the blood purity beliefs) until the time came when I chose or I am forced to break rank.

Early the next day, my father pulled me aside. "Gemima, I have something serious to discuss with you. Come into the study."

I followed my father into his dreary study. Really, it was just a desk and a chair, as well as some book cases around the walls. "Yes?" I said, taking a seat on the chair in front of his desk.

"Okay. Let me be straight with you. You are an adult now. You have turned seventeen. It's time I share some important decisions with you. This summer, the Dark Lord will be taking over the Manor. It will be used as a headquarters of sorts. Now, I know how you feel on the matter and so, I need you do to something for me." He leaned back in his leather chair, hands clasped, hair tussled (which was uncommon) and looked me straight in the eye.

"Anything," I said straight away. Although I hoped that he wouldn't ask me to join him. But I knew my father would not ask such a thing of me. Still, a part of me feared it.

"I want you to join the Order of the Phoenix."

"What?" I demanded. "That would mean publicly disowning you and mum and _Draco_. You would really ask this of me?"

"Yes. After the war is over, you'll come back to us. For now, go to Dumbledore, tell him of your birth father, explain your hate of the Dark Lord. Ask to join him and his side. But not publicly until this summer. If the Dark Lord discovers this before you and Draco are safely on the opposing side, he'll demand Draco receive the dark mark to ensure his loyalty. I won't allow this to happen."

"And Draco?" I asked, surprised.

"Bring him with you, Gemima, please." He had always called me Gemima, as if joining in with my nickname would anger me. My name had always been a sign of love and loyalty to Regulus Black and I knew my father knew this. It made me love him more. He tried not to replace the man I had never known. But both of them were my father.

I nodded, rising from my chair and rushing around to the opposite side of the desk and hugging him. "I will, dad. I love you. I promise I'll protect Draco."

He returned the hug. "I know you will. I love you, too."


	3. Chapter 2: Aquamarine Eyes

**Chapter Two**

"Dora!" I exclaimed as my eager cousin wrapped me up in a hug. She was a few years older than me, in her early twenties, but still acted younger. Over her shoulder, I saw my mum cancel the levitation charm on my trunk and drop it to the ground before blowing me a kiss and apparating away. She'd come back in two days after indulging in some pampering treatment as usual. My mother never denied me my heritage, or the family that it brought.

"Gemmy," she laughed, pulling back. Her hair was bright pink, contrasting perfectly with the green robes she was wearing today. I only saw her a few times a year (and sometimes we bumped into each other in the streets) so these visits were a treat for us both. "You're so short," she said, her hair changing from pink to yellow. "You make me feel like a giant. Come in, quickly, before mum comes out."

She dragged me into the house, talking rapidly about her Auror training and a few missions she'd been on. I'd given little through on my future career but an Auror was not something I'd pick, especially as I would be a target. I'd compromise everything and desk work didn't suit me. I summoned my trunk in after me, letting it sit by the doorway.

"Gemima," Aunt Andy cried, pulling me from her daughter and into a hug of her own. Her husband followed suit straight after before they both returned to their seats at the kitchen table. Dora and I joined them. "So, Gem, what subjects are you taking this year?" That always seemed to be the first question asked when you meet somebody, or see a person after a great length of time.

"I am taking Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Ancient Runes and Defence Against the Dark Arts this year. I haven't decided what I'm going to do after Hogwarts, so I'm taking most core subjects."

"Your father took those exact subjects, too."

I beamed. Andromeda loved to tell me stories of my father, or little details. I soaked up as much as possible. He'd always been this amazing person in my mind and the image needed to be fuelled. Aunt Andy encouraged this.

"What about you two?" I asked. "Dora has already filled me in on the need-to-know and the not-need-to-know of Auror business but how are your jobs going?" I shot an amused look at my cousin and her hair changed to orange. I laughed.

"Well, it's going as can be expected," said Ted. "With you-know-who around, nothing's that easy anymore." Ted worked at the ministry and as a muggleborn, this was particularly difficult.

"Yeah," joined in Aunt Andy. "But Dora joined the Order last month."

"Really?" I said, my interest peaked. "Is that dangerous?"

"No more dangerous than being an Auror," she said with a serious tone. It felt so weird to see her acting so serious but in these dark times, even the most childish of us had to grow up quickly.

I took a deep, subtle breath and said, "I was thinking about joining the Order."

The three of them turned to face me, their faces pulled tight until it looked as if they would combust from worry. "Are you sure, dear?" said Andromeda. "It's a big job. And you'll be going against your family."

"I'm sure," I said. "I'm seventeen now. Plus, my dad's all for it. It was his idea. He wants me to take Draco and get out as soon as possible." Dora's hair turned a deep blue. They would help me, I know, and with their trust, Dumbledore would help Draco and me. I'd go on whatever mission I had to get us out safely. "But enough of that. Did you enjoy your Christmas? Did you get the presents I sent?"

And just like that, the thick atmosphere melted away. I knew we'd return to this conversation before my visit was done but for the first part, we'd celebrate our connection and bond and have fun. "Yes," squealed Dora. "I love the bag you sent. It's so tiny and I can fit anything in it. It's great at work and everything. Thanks, cousin." Dora gave me another hug. I moved over so we could share the same seat, her arm still resting on my shoulders.

"No problem," I laughed. "Hermione Granger showed me how to do the charm. I have one, too."

"Yes, thanks, dear," said Andromeda. Ted nodded his agreement.

"Oh," I suddenly remembered. "Aunt Andy, I have something to tell you. I've changed my surname. I'm Gemima Black now."

She clasped her hands over mine. "I'm so, so proud of you, Gem. I knew this day would come – that you would claim your heritage and change the face of the Black. Hopefully now, The Noble House of Black will actually be noble."

"I hope so, too," I said, delicately. I knew I wasn't the last Black – Bellatrix and Andromeda and Sirius still lived, as well as Dora distantly – but after Sirius Black ran away more than two decades ago, my father Regulus had become the heir and after him, me. Now that I am seventeen, everything belongs to me. I wasn't sure how to feel about that but I hoped truly that I would make Andromeda proud. "Dora, do you want to fly with me?" I asked.

"Hell yes," she said, jumping up and running upstairs, probably to fetch her broomstick. I jumped up, too, hopping over to my trunk, popping it open and pulling out my own new shrunken broomstick. After closing the trunk and shutting it, sending it upstairs to Dora's room, where I normally stay with Dora while I'm here. I double checked I was still wearing my charm bracelet and I had my wand, I waved goodbye to Andromeda and Ted and ran outside.

Dora was at the upstairs window, sliding it open. I mounted my broomstick and started to rise, waiting as Dora copied me and hopped onto her broomstick, out the window. As this was still a muggle area, we disillusioned ourselves. We could still see each other but nobody could see us unless they knew where to look. But they could still hear us.

"Race you," Dora shouted over the wind.

"Where to?" I called back.

"Diagon Alley."

Dora shot straight ahead, so I followed her. We ended up doing tricks in the air – loops and wronksy faints and flying upside down. Anything you can think of, really. We landed in the middle of Diagon Alley easily. Nobody noticed. I shrunk my broomstick and clipped it onto my charm bracelet with the rest of the charms. Before taking the disillusionment charm off, I fixed my hair perfectly into an acceptable hairstyle of pureblood society and smoothed down my expensive robes. Even if I disagreed with a lot of what the pureblood society stood for and I was going to join Dumbledore, I was still an esteemed member for now and I had to act like it. After I was ready, I took the charm off.

Dora had already taken the charm off herself and was peering into the Quidditch shop's display case eagerly, holding tightly onto her broomstick. I joined her. "Looking for anything in particular?"

"No," she answered. "I just like seeing what's new. Nothing yet, it seems. Let's just go shopping."

"Wait," I told her. "I don't have any money on me. Come with me to Gringotts."

"Alrightie."

I pulled her along and into Gringotts, marching past all the goblins with my head held high until I reached the main desk. "I would like to enter my vault," I said to the goblin on the desk.

"Key?" He asked.

"I don't need one." At this, the goblin looked up, startled, obviously recognising how rich I must be to not need a key (even if I did have one if it came to that). His eyes widened as he looked upon me. I guess the curls and grey eyes gave me away quite easily.

"Of course, Miss Black," said the goblin, stepping down from the desk. "If you would follow me."

Dora and I followed the short creature off to a side door and into a cart. The car spun every which way but I was used to it by now and we both spent enough time on a broomstick to maintain our composure. Although, Dora did say "wicked" when we passed underneath the Thief's Downfall and continued down into the deepest levels of the bank.

"Which vault?" said the goblin. Normally, they'd combine all my vaults but I'd decided I wanted to keep them all separate in order to not get the jewels and other items in the vaults mixed up.

"The Selwyn one."

We continued further and further down under Gringotts before the cart came to a screeching halt. We stopped outside Vault 1436, guarded by blood wards. Only someone of Selwyn blood would be able to open this vault but if that person did not have enough Selwyn blood, the key would be necessary too. This was my first time visiting this vault (I hadn't visited the Black one either) considering I only inherited them both when I turned seventeen last week, so I didn't know if I needed the key or not (I didn't think so but I wasn't sure).

The goblin gestured for me to place my hand on the door and sure enough, the locks started to grind and click without the help of a key. Then, suddenly, the great tall doors shifted open and I was exposed to the enormous wealth my grandmother had left me (she'd disowned my mother). There were piles and piles of galleons all around the enormous room and yes, it was big enough to be a room, a ballroom. Along with the piles of galleons were jewellery and furniture. Hanging on the wall were the deeds to numerous estates and land and real estate all around the world.

"Wow," I muttered. I had not been expecting this. The Malfoy vault was way smaller than this (not that I would tell my father this).

Dora was standing behind me. "I knew you were rich, Gem," she said. "But I didn't imagine this."

"Neither did I."

I walked further into the vault, taking a small bag off the wall and, after casting the undetectable extension charm, I started to put galleons into the bag. I'd needed to come here anyway, to collect some money for the upcoming school year. I added a lot in, more than double of which I would actually need. I also spotted a little necklace sitting atop a nearby pile of galleons with the Selwyn crest and pocketed it, feeling the need to show off this part of my heritage, too. Most people who knew me didn't know I was also an heir to The House of Selwyn, too.

"Do you want anything, Dora?" I called back to her. She was standing at the entrance (her broomstick shrunken and in her pocket), talking to the goblin. "Take anything you want." I walked back over to her, satisfied with my take. After shrinking the bag (and adding a lightweight charm to it), I pocketed that also, placing it in the pocket beside my wand.

"I'm fine," she said, taking a step back so that the goblin could close my vault.

I stopped nervously, observing her. "Are you going to see me any different now that you've seen this?" I asked, waving a hand towards the closing door of the vault.

"No, of course not," she said, putting an arm around me and leading me towards the cart. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering. "I'm always going to see you as my little sister no matter how much money you have. Don't ever think otherwise." She squeezed me before we stepped into the cart.

"Okay." And we were off again, zipping through the maze of tunnels, back into Gringotts and then into Diagon Alley. First, we went into Flourish and Blotts because I wanted to (Dora didn't like reading that much, where I bought a couple charms books, a book on animagi, as well as some for ancient runes, which I stashed in the shrunken bag of galleons. After that, we made a quick stop at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, where we bumped into my fourth-year professor Remus Lupin.

"Hello, Tonks," said Professor Lupin, walking past the Ice Cream Parlour. He stopped, joining us for a chat. "How are you?"

"Wotcher, Remus," replied Dora. "As good as can be. And you?" She leaned forward just a little, her hair turning from purple to bright pink. Did Dora _like_ him? Judging from her big smile, I thought so. I was happy for her. Everyone deserved happiness in times as dark as these.

"Me, too."

"How is Arthur?"

"He's getting better. Still recovering, you see."

"Of course." It went silent for a moment before Dora found an ice breaker. Me. "Do you know my cousin, Remus?"

"Yes, of course, Miss Malfoy, how are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Professor Lupin." I answered, standing beside Dora as her hair turned an ever more brilliant shade of pink. Professor Lupin didn't seem to notice.

"I'm not your professor anymore, Miss Malfoy, you do not have to call me Professor," he said, half-stern, half-joking.

"Okay," I said. And that was the end of that. Nothing is more awkward than talking to your ex-teacher especially when he was in his forties and your cousin, in her twenties, liked him like _that_. But then again, what was age really? I'd support her if it came down to it.

"Well anyway, Tonks, Miss Malfoy, I'd best be off. Goodbye." With a wave and a quick pace, Remus Lupin was off.

When he was far enough away, I turned to my cousin. "You _like_ him," I declared, laughing. "Oh, Dora." I pulled her into half a hug, my robes swishing around me. "It's okay. I'm sure he likes you, too, and if he doesn't, he's an idiot."

"Gem!" She exclaimed, looking around. "I just- I don't think he likes me. Of course, why would he? He's a lot older and more mature."

"You're mature," I said. Then I changed my mind. "Scratch that. Opposites attract. Younger. Older. More mature. Less mature. If it's meant to be, it will work out, I promise."

"You're right," she said. "Wait. That's another person more mature than me. Gosh." And then we both started laughing, although nobody really noticed. We were now at a back booth in the Ice Cream Parlour. "Come on, I need to buy some new clothes."

She pulled me out of the booth with our ice creams still in hand and headed down the alley, Lupin out of her mind for now. After shopping for new clothes (of which we bought many), we were walking past Eeylops Owl Emporium when I spotted the most beautiful owl. It was love at first sight. I knew I had to have her. Normally I just used my brother's owl or one of my parent's but this one just… _spoke_ to me, I guess. Dora was still pulling on my arm when I stopped suddenly, so naturally, she tripped over but, still entranced, I reach out and steadied her before dragging her with me into the shop.

I walked straight up to the counter with purpose. "Excuse me," I said. "I'd like to buy that owl in the window display." I pointed her (because, somehow, I knew it was a her) out to the shopkeeper, who, smiling, immediately went to fetch my familiar. I stopped then. Yes – my familiar because that was what she was. I had felt the strangest pull to her, as if she belonged to me. My mother had described this to me when I was young – every witch/wizard has an animal familiar that they bond to. If the animal really is your familiar, it will live as long as you do, and die when you die. It's called imprinting.

The shopkeeper came back with the owl on her shoulder but when it saw me, it instantly flew to me, landing on my extended arm. The shopkeeper grinned, nodding to Dora. "That's her familiar," she told Dora. "You can tell."

The owl was perfectly white and dark grey, the colours blending spectacularly, and while her colouring was absolutely perfect, I felt it was her eyes that were her best feature – a deep aquamarine, a flawless mix of green and blue. She was beautiful and nothing could ever make me think any different.

Straight away, I poked around the shop, choosing an expensive, spacey, luxurious cage, owl feed (enough for a year at Hogwarts), as well as various cage extras I decided my owl needed in order to live well and comfortable. My owl stayed on my shoulder through all of this, pecking its beak against my head lovingly. I reached up and stroked her feathers before returning to the counter, where Dora and the shopkeeper were talking. I laid down all item on the counter and let the shopkeeper ring them all up.

"She's really pretty," Dora said, reaching up to pet her but my owl drew away, bending her head over mine to escape Dora's hand. "Oh, guess she doesn't like me."

"I love her," I declared. "Dora, it's the most amazing feeling. I feel as if we belong together. I don't know how I'll ever let her send letters," I laughed.

"I'm sure you'll find a way."

The shopkeeper charged me a total of thirty galleons for everything (the owl was ten and the cage was fifteen), which I charged to the Selwyn vault now that I knew its vast size.

My owl, which I still needed to name, flew into the grand cage as if it knew precisely what I wanted. I smiled down at her. After locking the door, I shrunk the rest of my purchases down and added them to the other stuff I'd acquired today.

"Come on," said Dora. "I think it's best we floo home now."

"True."


	4. Chapter 3: The Black Heritage

**Chapter Three**

I'd spent another two fun days with the Tonks before my mum collected me. When she met my new owl, Ash (as that was the name I'd picked for her), she made all the appropriate oohing and ahhing before we flooed home. Apparating was not the best mode of transport for an owl. I'd added another undetectable extension charm to my trunk when nothing would fit after our little impromptu shopping trip, which really turned out to be a Hi-Remus-I-Didn't-Know-You'd-Be-Here kind of thing. I'd teased her about that a lot over the last few days.

The Hogwarts Express was leaving in two days, which was the end of Christmas Break. Like the rest of them, this break was spectacular but I knew that, starting when we arrived back at Hogwarts, nothing would be the same ever again.

Dad and Draco were waiting for us by the fireplace when we popped out. I was pulling my trunk along (mum had sent her luggage ahead of us) but I dropped that quickly when I saw Draco. I pulled him into a hug. I had missed my little brother, like usual. He hugged me back, whispering how he'd missed me. I gave Dad a hug, too, and a kiss on the cheek before Draco and I disappeared up to my room but not before Dad complimented Ash. On the way up, Draco started asking questions. "Where'd you get her?"

"Diagon Alley," I said. "She's my familiar. I couldn't resist."

"Familiar?" said Draco, flopping onto my bed just like normal. "That's special. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Drake."

I dropped my trunk beside the door and walked over to the window, looking for a place to put the owl cage. Alas, there was none, so I summoned a small table from one of the unused sitting rooms that matched my décor and set Ash up beside the window, leaving both the window open and the cage door. Instantly, Ash was outside, flying over the rolling grounds of the Manor. I watched her for a moment before joining Draco on the bed.

We were silent for another moment until Draco broke it. "Father told me that you're joining the Order."

"I am," I answered. "And you'll be under my protection. You won't be coming back to the Manor until after the war is over, Draco, so I want you to pack everything, okay? Everything."

"It won't all fit," he said, stupidly.

"I thought you were a wizard," I teased.

"Right. Right."

The next two days passed quickly, I spent all my time with my parents, as did Draco. We both understood that it would be a long time before any of us could meet face-to-face but Severus, Draco's Godfather and our Potions Professor, had agreed to let us use his fireplace to communicate with our parents once a week. Not to mention brief, undetailed and unsigned letters were allowed.

I had taken my advice to Draco and packed my trunk with most things I owned – my walk-in closet of clothes and shoes, as well as my book shelves, my owl supplies, all the items on my desk, as well as blankets and pillows and potions and preserved food (just in-case). Draco definitely wouldn't have thought of any necessary items. But who knows what would happen this year?

Soon enough, I was dressed and packed and ready to leave, as was Ash, when Draco hurried in, missing his wand. "I can't find it anywhere. Can you summon it for me?"

With a wave of my hand and some wandless, non-verbal magic (that Severus, my mentor, had taught me as I grew up, as well as Legilimency and Occlumency and anything else I'd ever wanted to learn), Draco's was pulling itself from his robes and presenting itself to me. I grabbed it from the air, laughing at him. "It's okay, little brother. Soon enough you'll be old enough to perform magic by yourself, if you can find your wand, that is."

"Ha, ha," he mocked. "Severus agreed to teach me wandless magic this year. I'll be better than you soon."

"Good luck," I said, dryly.

"I will be," he said, stubbornly. He gets that from me. Neither of my parents can be classed as 'stubborn'. With a sweep of his robes, obviously from Severus, he rushes out of the room, with his wand in hand, no doubt going to get his drunk. I hope he has the good sense to add a lightweight charm to it. It's not like the Ministry will tell him off or anything. I sit on my trunk, bored. Ash is hooting nearby. We're leaving in ten minutes.

Next, my parents enter, dressed smartly, and take a seat on the sofa to my right. Nine minutes later, Draco rushes in, dressed and with his owl and trunk and ready to leave. I stand up and walk into the fireplace and with a shout of 'Platform 9 and ¾', I am whisked away to the aforenoted platform in Kings Cross Station, London. I step out of the way as Draco comes out next, followed by our parents.

"Draco, Gemima," says Dad as we stand on the platform. "Whatever happens this summer, just know I love you, okay?" With a quick hug each, he tells mum, "I'll see you back at the Manor, darling," and leaves through the floo. He has a meeting with a fellow follower from what I could gather this morning, so he can't stay.

I slide an arm around Draco's shoulders. As his older sister, it's my job to protect him and comfort him and make sure he has a bright life. I hope I've achieved that thus far. We both look towards our mum, who has tears in her eyes. "You've both grown up so much, especially you, Gemima. I'm so proud of you both. Draco, I know we have fought a lot in the past but I love you just as much as your sister, okay? And no matter what, just remember that you have each other. Alright? Alright. I love you."

Just like dad, she gives us a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and with a wipe of her tears, she disappears into the floo. I look to Draco, wiping his cheeks from a single tear that has fallen. "No crying, okay, Drake? Everything is going to be alright in the end, you'll see." I pull him to me, resting my chin on my head and patting his shoulders. In one hand, then, I grab my trunk and with the other, I grab Draco's hand. I know he'd die of embarrassment if his friends caught him holding my hand but he doesn't seem to care at this moment.

As we're walking, somebody bumps harshly into me. My trunk drops from my hand, banging loudly. I look up, furious, to see Ronald Weasley, Slytherin extraordinaire. Yes, you heard right, a Weasley in Slytherin. No doubt he was the black-sheep in his family of Gryffindors.

"How dare you!" I shouted, drawing the attention of the people around us. "That was uncalled for."

"No, that was perfectly deserved," he drawled, smoothing back his stupid red hair. "You're a blood traitor, a Gryffindor."

I laughed, hollowly. "Me? A traitor? That's such a joke. Have you seen your family recently? You're the definition of a _blood_ traitor. How does it feel to be the only snake in a family of lions?"

"Shut up, Malfoy," he roared, the closest he would ever come to being a lion.

"I'm sorry," I said, coldly. "But you've seemed to got your information wrong. My surname is Black. You heard me! The Noble House of Black. How much of a blood traitor am I now, Weasel?" With that, I picked up my trunk and, tugging on Draco's hand, I pulled him onto the train, past Harry Potter and Hermione Granger and their band of Gryffindors, whom were gaping at me in complete shock.

Draco and I picked a compartment halfway down the train, completely empty. We levitated our trunks onto the racks above our heads. I placed the owl cage on the floor by the window and then I took a seat at the window with Draco completely opposite me. "Gosh," I mumbled. "He infuriates me. How did he get into Slytherin? Urgh!"

"You're not the one who has to share a dorm with him," said Draco.

"That's horrible," I said, sympathetic. "You know you can bunk in with me. There's only one other Gryffindor girl in my year. And she's nice. She won't say anything. There's an extra bed and everything."

"I don't think I'd be able to get into the tower, nor would I want to," he declared, looking out the window instead.

"You can just fly up to the window. Of course. Come on, Drake, do you forget you're a wizard all the time?"

"No," he defended. "Just on breaks. I barely use my magic."

"You'll grow out of that," I murmured. "When you turn seventeen, you won't forget that excitement. I can't stop charming everything to have an undetectable extension charm. Every has something they can't stop performing when they come of age."

"It'll probably be the summoning charm," he said, confidently.

"How do you know?" I quirked an eyebrow. Just then, the train started to move.

"That's the spell I perform most nowadays anyway."

"True."

The door to our compartment slid open easily as the train chugged along. It was Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley. The (most likely) soon-to-be saviours of the wizarding world when Harry comes of age and defeats Lord Voldemort. If only that would happen sooner, everything would go back to normal.

"What do you want, Potter?" sneered Draco.

I kicked him, lightly. "Draco, that's no way to speak to anyone," I muttered. Especially not the heroes of the side I have to join soon enough. Ginny Weasley sniggered as Draco massaged his leg. I shot him a look. Behave, it said.

"Er, Gemima," said Harry. "We saw that, um, fight with Ron on the platform. And I just wanted to ask… is your last name really Black?" He shuffled nervously. Hermione put an arm on his shouldering. Comforting, I supposed. I wondered if there was anything going on there.

"Yeah," I said. "Gemima Black. Why?"

"We wanted to know why you changed it," added Hermione.

"Well," I said, uncomfortably. This wasn't common knowledge (that Lucius Malfoy wasn't my biological dad) but I guessed if I anted to be on their side, they had to trust me. Starting now. "Well, it's personal. I wanted to honour my dad, since he was a Black, you know."

"I thought your dad was Lucius Malfoy."

"He's my step-father," I told them. I guess everyone was going to find out anyway since I had openly declared myself a Black. I loved my dad so much more now. I had never considered that I was admitting he wasn't my biological dad, I had just thought I was acknowledging my first one. But he'd supported me.

"Who's your real father?" demanded Ginny.

"My _real_ father is Lucius Malfoy."

"But you just said-" she started, haughtily.

"My _real_ father is Lucius Malfoy but my _biological_ father was Regulus Black." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. I looked at him, knowingly. "You didn't want me to be Sirius' daughter, right? I know he's your godfather. My mum told me so. He's mine, too, and my uncle. I guess he never mentioned me to you."

"I don't think he knows you're alive," interrupted Hermione.

I sat up straighter, as did Draco, who was watching the whole exchange silently. "Why would you say that? Of course he knows I'm alive. My mother asked him to be my godfather before he was convicted and he accepted. He accepted!"

"But," Hermione continued. "He said something to us over Christmas. He said he had no family left besides Harry."

Oh. "Well, that doesn't mean he thinks I'm dead. He probably just doesn't consider me family." I shrugged as if that was no big deal. My eyes stung but I ensured no tears appeared on the surface and I remain unaffected. All my dreams of meeting him and him being like Regulus and telling me stories of him and being an uncle… all down the drain.

"No, I don't think that's it," said Harry, sitting down beside us. Draco looked over at him, annoyed, but wisely kept his mouth shut. "Sirius would love to have some family, especially one in Gryffindor. Meet me in the common room tonight at midnight. He'll prove it to you." He patted my arm, nodded to Draco before his trio disappeared back down the corridor.

Draco swapped seats immediately, putting his arm around me for a change. He was taller than me anyway, even if I was older. I leaned my head on his shoulder. "Even if I meet him and all goes well and he accepts him, you'll always be my number one, alright?" He smiled brightly, putting his head on mine, too.

We stayed like that for the rest of the trip, with me sleeping on his shoulder and Draco reading a book.

He woke me up with five minutes to spare, turning his head and pulling down the blinds to allow me to change into my uniform and stash my robes into my trunk before I did the same for him. He had just finished changing his clothes and fixing his trunk when the train pulled into the station. We left our belongings on the train and trudged up to the self-pulling carriages. Draco and I climbed into ours, as well as some third-year Ravenclaws, and the carriage started to roll up the hill.

I turned to my brother urgently. "When we get up to the castle and we separate into our houses, I want you to remember that I'm only ever an owl away, or a shout. Come and find me, for anything, even just to hang out. I want to see a lot of this year, Drake, okay? Besides that, enjoy the rest of the year and I'll handle everything else." I kissed his forehead, ignoring the Ravenclaws, and squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.

I turned my head to the front of the carriage, bringing the carriage in front of us into my eye-sight. I noticed a boy in Slytherin robes looking back at me. We made eye-contact and he grinned at me. He winked. He had black hair, like me, and I couldn't see his eyes from here but I guessed green because of the similarities to his robes. It looked the same colour. He had a strong jaw and a pretty smile. Not to mention he was fit. A smile creeped up my face.

"Draco," I said. "Who is that Slytherin?"

He looked up, squinting. "Matthew Prewett. Sixth-year."

"Prewett?" I asked. "As in Gideon and Fabian Prewett? Molly Prewett?"

"Yeah," answered Draco. "He's Molly Weasley's nephew. Pureblood, of course."

"Of course," I echoed. "Who are his parents?"

"Fabian Prewett and Marlene McKinnon. Wait – do you _like_ him, sis?" Draco asked, smiling. "I thought you were dating Nott."

"I told you, Draco, I dumped him."

"Right. Right." He grinned. I thumped him lightly but that did nothing to break his all-knowing grin. "I'll make sure to send him your way."

"Don't do a thing, Draco," I responded as the carriages came to a stop. "I can handle myself." We waited until the Ravenclaws scurried away before exiting the carriage. I saw Matthew Prewett disappear into the castle in front of me with Daphne Greengrass and her sister, Astoria, but not before he shot a smile at me over his shoulder. Oh, definitely, I would be seeing more of him this year. I couldn't say I would mind his handsome presence.


	5. Chapter 4: Lemon Drops

**Chapter Four**

Winter term started with an excellent feast that night. Dumbledore welcomed everyone back from Christmas Break and then everyone broke into groups and started gossiping. Dolores Umbridge was still at the Teacher's Table, as proud and as pink as ever. Katie Bell, a really good friend of mine, was sitting next to me, filling me in on her Christmas Break.

"I didn't really do much, at all," she was saying, in-between breaks for eating and sipping her pumpkin juice. "But I did get a letter from Fred!"

I looked up at her, casually. "Wow. That's great. I'm happy for you. Did he ask you out?"

"No," she answered. "But, we've exchanged more letters this year than before. I have a good feeling about it."

My eyes drifted to the Teacher's Table. "That's only if Umbridge doesn't destroy the school first." She followed my gaze, elbowing me in the side, murmuring about how I shouldn't be such a "Debby downer" and although I understood the gist of what that meant, I didn't understand fully. Who's Debby? When I was turning my head back to look at Katie, the sixth-year Slytherin from the carriage ride caught my eye. He was looking over here, a cute grin on his face. When I caught his eye, he winked. He seemed to like winking. I did the only normal thing I could do: I winked back before returning to my conversation.

"Ooh. He likes you. Slytherin, aye? Why is it that you're only ever attracted to Slytherins?" Katie demanded, pulling my attention to her rapidly. Her eyebrow was raised in the way I had taught her last year to make the question seem all that more ridiculous.

"I'm not only attracted to Slytherins," I rebuked. "I had that, um, fling with Lee Jordan at the start of last year."

"Fling?" She doubted. "It was more like a Hi-Bye relationship. You went out on one date and that was it. No, what I mean is every meaningful relationship you've ever had was with a Slytherin. Nott, Zabini." It had been more than one date – it had been like three and a whole lot of snogging but my brother hadn't needed to know about it, so we'd kept it on the down-low, especially from Katie. She was a great friend but a big gossiper.

"I didn't go out with Zabini," I protested. "I only went out with Nott. One relationship cannot lead to 'I only date Slytherins'."

"One relationship, fine. But what was that with Prewett?"

"That was a wink."

"That was _more_ than a wink. Hey, wait, I swear you did go out with Zabini," she said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I took a bit of food and ate it, delaying my inevitable answer. Then, for good measure, I took a long sip of my juice before she became really impatient. "Gem!"

"Fine. No, I didn't go out with him. He just proposed, really, really loudly." Yeah, you heard right. Blaise Zabini proposed marriage when I was fifteen. What a joke! He'd heard about my substantial inheritance from Draco and wanted in on the action. Let's just say he ended up in the hospital wing for a week and a half.

Katie wisely let the subject drop. "Well, okay, if you say so. Now, back to Fred… do you think I should ask him out? There's a hogsmeade trip coming up and Angelina told me George asked her out."

"I think you should," I encouraged. "He's leaving at the end of this year. You should act fast."

"Yeah, I should," she said, distantly, looking down the table where the Weasley Twins and Lee Jordan were joking around, quite loudly. They were regaling their audience with a story of Lee's tarantula from their third year. Urgh! Spiders.

After the feast, I caught Draco's eye before we separated to our respective dorms and shot him a comforting smile. I knew this would also be the last year for him with his friends. Most of them were the children of death eaters and so, next year they would avoid him when it comes to light what I plan to do now.

In the crowd of Gryffindors, I lost sight of Katie and Alicia and Angelina, who'd joined together against the rush of people. Alicia and Angelina were in the year above and often hung out with Katie and I considering we were the only two girls in sixth year. Well, we had been born during the First Wizarding War, so it was no wonder that birth rates had been low. Although, there seemed to be a greater number of boys. Weird. Using the crowd to my advantage, I slipped out the other side and ducked around the corner, avoiding the head boy and head girl wrangling the new first years.

I headed up some moving staircases, going in the opposite direction from Gryffindor Tower and ended up in front of the Headmaster's gargoyle, right where I wanted to be. "Password?" It said.

"Gryffindor," I guessed. "Slytherin. Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff." When the gargoyle yawned, I decided to take a more direct route. "Can you let me in to speak with Professor Dumbledore? It's urgent." The gargoyle barely batted an eye. "Er… Grindelwald," I guessed. Who hadn't heard the stories? "Phoenix. Order of the Phoenix. Hogwarts. Platform 9 and ¾. Fawkes. Transfiguration. Oh, I don't know."

That was when the gargoyle opened its wing and revealed a hidden staircase into the Headmaster's Tower. Tenderly, I stepped onto the first step (much to the amusement of the gargoyle) and when nothing happened, I trudged up the staircase and came to a wooden door, which I knocked upon gingerly. "Come in," came the voice of Headmaster Dumbledore.

I turned the door knob and entered into the magnificent office of the Headmaster. There were shelves all around the room with curious ornaments, as well as portraits hanging above them. Professor Dumbledore sat behind a cluttered desk, gesturing for me to take the seat opposite him. I did as gestured. Professor Dumbledore was an older man, with a long white beard and these all-knowing eyes that spoke of all the secrets hidden within.

"Miss Malfoy… Miss Black, how may I help you today?" said Headmaster Dumbledore.

I ignored the correction of my surname. I knew that would happen a lot come tomorrow when classes started up again. Especially from Severus, who had refused to acknowledge the change. "Well, Professor-," I started.

"Oh, would you like a lemon drop?" Interrupted the Headmaster.

I shook my head. "No, thank you. Professor, I-"

"I know perfectly well why you are here, Miss Black," he interrupted once more. "We do not need to go into the details. Just tell me - Are you willing to defend those that need defending? To stand up against Dark Wizards and Witches that bear familiar faces? Are you willing to turn your back on all that you have ever known?"

"I am willing," I answered, too stunned to formulate any other words. It felt as if my grasp on the English language had disappeared.

"Well, then, welcome to The Order of the Phoenix."

"I," I started. Then changed my mind. "Thank you, Professor." I made to get up and disappear back down the staircase before I remembered a crucial detail that I needed to ensure. "And my brother?" I asked, scrutinising the older wizard.

"Safe, I promise you. He will stay with you this summer at headquarters." This time, I did rise with a nod to one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Headmaster Dumbledore returned the nod, his eyes twinkling with uncontained knowledge. I turned and with two steps, I was closing the door to his office. "And Miss Black?" He called.

"Yes?"

"Help is always provided to those who ask for it."

I knew without a doubt he was talking about the missions I would be doing during the summer, and my failed attempt to guess his password.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and descended the staircase.

On my trek back to the Gryffindor Tower, I passed the illuminated corridor that would bring me to The Dungeons. It was this that made me think of my mentor, Severus Snape, and Dumbledore's all-knowing smile. Could it be possible that it had been Severus that had informed Dumbledore of my father's plans before I could? Had Snape vouched for me after my father had confessed our plans? It was this train of thought that made me turn around and walk down this corridor, straight into the potions classroom and past his desk to the door of his office. I knocked loudly.

"Go away," came the ever-loving voice of my brother's godfather and my mentor.

I let myself in anyway. Severus was sitting behind his desk just as Dumbledore had been but unlike Dumbledore, Snape's office was clean and meticulous just like his potion work. I should know – he'd hammered that meticulous into me also when it came to potions. Otherwise, acceptably clean was alright with me.

"Gemima," said Severus, surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be with the rest of the lions?" With the last word, he added a sneer like usual.

"Thank you," I said immediately. Unlike most people, my mentor did not look confused. He knew exactly what I was talking about. I had thought to bring the Tonks up to let Dumbledore know I had their support but Severus, as Dumbledore's built-in-spy, was more adequate support anyway.

"Of course," came the answer of Severus Snape, as if I never had to ask for his help, it would always be there whether I wanted it or not. His voice had softened how it seldom did around his students or colleagues. I sat down in the seat opposite him, more relaxed than I had been in the Headmaster's office. I'd known him my whole life and loved him like another father for most of it, too. Unlike Lucius, who barely encouraged my intellect as a female, Severus encouraged me in every aspect and he had since my first coherent question about potions.

He'd been visiting my parents over a decade ago when I'd wondered into the room. I had smiled at him and climbed into his lap. He, like always, had a barely concealed sneer on his face and deposited me onto the armchair next to him. I'd returned to his lap almost instantly, asking, "What's a bezoar?" However, the word had tumbled out of my five-year-old mouth strangely. His lips had twitched, as most a smile you would ever receive. His answer was textbook perfect, of course, indulging. After that, whenever he visited, I'd ask questions (even coming up with questions when I heard he was due to visit) and he'd teach me patiently. Then, as I started Hogwarts, we'd moved onto the harder magical areas. He'd helped me for as long as I could remember and here he was again – helping me join The Order.

"Severus," I said. I wanted to ask why he continued following Voldemort, continued sacrificing so much when he could just disappear with the hep of Dumbledore and nobody would be wiser. I wanted to know what meant so much to him that he would put it in front of himself for nearly two decades. Instead, I told him, "I have another project I'm working on this year."

He leaned forward. "And what project would that be?"

"I want to become an animagus."

"And you want my help to achieve this?"

"Yes."

"Saturday. After Breakfast. I expect you to have read – and memorised – the process and any other relevant information."

"Done," I answered.

"As expected," he replied. "Now off to bed. Don't stay up to late. Your first class tomorrow morning is Potions."

"As expected," I mimicked. "Goodnight, Severus."

With that, I smiled at him, brightly, and hurried out of the dungeons and up the moving staircases and towards the Gryffindor Tower, when I remembered that I didn't know the password. I walked slower. It was past curfew, I doubted any student would be coming by soon. My eye spotted the window on this floor easily enough. The Fat Lady was already asleep in her portrait and since I didn't know the password, it would help to disturb her. Instead, I looked down towards the charm bracelet hanging preciously on my left wrist. The broomstick I had received for Christmas was still attached from Dora and I's ride to Diagon Alley.

The idea was stupid, I knew, but I hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor over Slytherin and Ravenclaw for nothing. So, I enlarged that particular charm and unlatched the window. With my broom in hand, I jumped, landing on my broomstick easily. I started rising above the window and around the tower. Most curtains were closed and other rooms were vacant (probably still in the common room). I ascended to the dorm of the Sixth-Year Girls and knocked on the window. There was no answer. I slid out my wand from my cloak and with a whisper of 'Alohamora', the window clicked open. I balanced my feet against the ledge, gripping tightly to the upper part of the window and slid my broomstick inside the room. I followed after it easily.

I landed with a light thump into just the dorm I wanted. I locked the window again, shrunk my broom and added it back onto the charm bracelet. It was best that it stayed there from now on.

Katie and I's dorm was just like any other – single beds with roaring red curtains and a warm atmosphere. There was even a bathroom off the dorm for us to share. At the start of our first year, there had been five beds but as there was only the two of us, Professor McGonagall had vanished two to allow us more space. Now, my bed was beside the window and Katie's bed was all the way across the room beside the other window and in-between there was just a spare bed in case one of our girl friends wanted to come and stay with us for the night. Angelina like that option the most – Katie and Angelina stayed up gossiping about the Weasley Twins for hours on most weekends.

Unlike those nights, our dorm was empty. So I set out in search of my Gryffindor friends, whom I hadn't seen in over two weeks. Like I expected, they were in the common room. It was actually a really big group – Katie, Angelina, Fred, George, Harry and Hermione were crowded around the fireplace. It was past 10pm so some classmates had already adhered to the rules and returned to their dormitories but that rule wasn't strictly enforced considering teachers barely enter the common room.

"Hey, Gem!" Katie called. "Come join us."

I plopped down beside Katie on the couch in front of the fireplace, giving a smile to all those gathered with us.

It was Hermione who spoke first. "Hey, Gemima, We have a proposition for you." I turned to face her (she was at the opposite end of the couch beside Harry). Fred and George were sitting on the two closest arm chairs, like Angelina. "Harry's running a club for Defence. Considering nobody's learning anything in Umbridge's class, we wanted to know if you'd like to join."

"This goes against all her new rules," I noted. Before they could get a word in, I continued. "I'm in." This was a handy opportunity to get in better with Harry's crew and their – our – side. Not to mention extra practice for summer.

Fred and George laughed. "Alright!" One of them said. I can freely admit that I could not tell them apart. They each leaned over and gave me a high five. Hermione tucked something into my hand. I rolled the galleon over in my hand. It was fake, I knew, the writing was missing (and the date was very, very recent, so I knew it wouldn't have been release yet).

"Why do I need a fake galleon?" I asked.

Hermione looked up, startled. "You can tell it's fake?"

"Well, yeah, some of the writing is missing." I pointed to the smooth edge of the galleon. "This should have an inscription on it. 'Made by Gringotts' or something like that."

"Right," said Hermione. "Oh well. I've already gave the rest out. These will have to do." I shrugged. Any person who'd seen enough galleons would note the difference. If they took a close look, I mean. "Anyway. These galleons will heat up whenever there's a meeting. Get Katie to show you where for the first time. Be discreet."

"Alright," I murmured, shooting Katie a smile. I tucked the galleon into my pocket.

For the next hour and a half, the group dwindled and dwindled until it was just Harry and I. Katie had been the first to leave, followed by Angelina and the twins, then Hermione.

"So, you're joining The Order," stated Harry after there was only the two of us in the common room.

I looked up, shocked. I had only halfway-joined after dinner and he already knew. How? There was no way Dumbledore could have said anything after our talk. "How-?"

"Professor Dumbledore told me a couple days ago."

"I didn't speak to him until tonight," I confessed. But I knew now that Severus had expressed his loyal support before tonight, so why was I shocked? Well, it could be that he was younger than me and more involved than I would ever let Draco become, even if they were the same age. It saddened me a bit – that this boy, so young, not even of age yet, had so much resting on his shoulders, and even I, tonight, had recognised him as the future saviour.

Just then, the fire in front of us started to flicker and turn green, spitting little bits of hot coal at us. "What-?"

"It's Sirius," declared Harry, leaning down in front of the fire, just as a piece of coal flung itself at his head. I grabbed his arm and yanked him to the side as the piece drifted through the air where his head was before. That would have hurt. A lot. And, then, as I let go of his sleeve, Sirius Black, or who I assumed was Sirius Black, appeared in the embers of the dying fire. The fire died down, the pieces stopped sparking and everything returned to how it should be, with the exception of the face in the fire, of course.

It was an exceptional piece of magic, I had to admit. Clever, too, with Umbridge monitoring the mail and all the floo networks, save her own and Snape's. Who would ever monitor Snape's correspondence anyway? They'd have to be pretty desperate or stupid, now that I think about it.

"Harry, Harry," whispered Sirius Black. Harry placed himself right over the fire, waving slightly. I stayed out of view, observing. He was not as I expected him to be. He was healthy – unlike those who had a long stay in Azkaban. And he had a moustache. I never imagined him with one. Would my father have had one if he was still alive today?

"I'm here," said Harry, unnecessarily. "There's someone I want you to meet."

I guess that was my cue. I moved over, into the full view of the fireplace. The eyes of the man in the fire widened considerably. "Er, Hi," I said, stupidly.

"Gemima," said Sirius.

"You… you know who I am?" I asked. Then, why had he not tried to contact me?

"Of course. You look so, so much like your father. It's quite uncanny, actually." Sirius was silent. "Do you know that I'm your-?"

"Godfather? Yeah. My mum told me," I answered, moving into a crossed legged position in front of him. "She's told me everything she knows of you and my father. But there's still so much that I don't know."

"How is your mother?" He asked, smiling. "God, I haven't seen her since I was twenty." He said it so normally that I would have just assumed he'd lived his life like anybody else and not spent twelve years in the most horrible prison.

"She's good. She remarried. I have a brother," I offered. From beside me, Harry snorted. I shot him a glare. I didn't care if he and Draco didn't get along. He wouldn't ruin this for me. He raised his hands in a defensive position, palms flat and exposed in a sign of surrender.

"I always wondered what happened to you," Sirius told me. His groomed hair seemed to shake but then again, that could have just been the projection. "…what happened to the little baby that my brother loved enough to turn his back on everything he believed in. You know, when your mother brought you to me and asked me to be your godfather, I almost said no. But she told me it had been my brother's dying wish and I couldn't say no – to her or to you." Now he seemed hesitant. "Has your life been good so far?"

"Yes," I answered. "I have loving parents and a younger brother that I love to tease. And I visit Andromeda most holidays."

"Andromeda?" repeated Sirius. "Yes, her daughter is in The Order."

"Yeah. Dora loves danger. She can't help herself," I laughed.

That was when I remembered Harry was there – he made the sound of a choked laugh. Sirius and I looked at him. "Your Tonks' cousin?" He asked and then started laughing, falling back on the floor.

"What?" I demanded.

"You were the one that helped her escape from the muggle police when you were thirteen?"

I flushed. "Shhh. You can't tell anybody – especially not Draco. My parents would flip. Please, Harry." I pounced, shaking his shoulders. He continued laughing but his laughs became more silent as he lost control. I guess that was for the best as we didn't want anybody coming down the stairs.

"Okay. Okay. I won't tell."

"I want to know that story," said Sirius, eagerly, grinning like the troublemaker I had heard he was in his younger days.

"It was Dora's fault," I professed. "She'd been flirting with this muggle and you know her – she's clumsy – so when she was walking away, she fell and her wand snapped. Half the wand hit the muggle in the face. She tried to get up and apologise but she slipped again and grabbed his arm to steady herself." By this point, I was grinning. "But, what do you know? She pulled him down, too. I was standing nearby, trying not to laugh. Her hair changed colour. To blue or green or something like that. The guy's a muggle, you know, so he gets the shock of a life time.

"Anyway, I was going to intervene but the muggle fell back on top of me and well, I didn't fancy explaining to my mum why my new robes were all muddy, so I caught myself with magic. The guy slid off me and hit the ground hard. His friend, who was a muggle auror, demanded to know what happened. The idiot said my cousin had attacked him. I mean, yes, she was flirting and with her, that's basically the same thing, but come on!"

By this point, Harry cast a silent _Muffliato_ charm so nobody can hear us and a notice-me-not charm to keep everybody away. Sirius was spitting embers while laughing, and Harry was basically copying him. I grinned.

"Dora failed her apparition test four times and I was only thirteen and we had no brooms or anything. So, we were essentially screwed. But we decided the best thing to do was run. We legged it out of there but they started chasing us. Dora's hair wouldn't stop changing colour and so all the muggles up and down the street were staring at us. In the end, I pulled her into an alleyway and apparated. Yes, I know, I know, I wasn't old enough and all but Dora wasn't going to do and we had no other way, so… I mean, it worked and everything. We landed back home easily. But don't tell anyone that. The aurors still don't know who it was."

"Definitely a Gryffindor," muttered Sirius.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I think my parents threw a fit when I was sorted into Gryffindor. But they'd known for a while."

"That story is wicked," said Harry. "Any more?"

"Loads," I grinned. "Dora and I get ourselves into the most ridiculous situations. Ask her about the muggle zoo, her hair will turn red. Always works."

"They can wait for later," said Sirius, taking on the role of the adult. "Off to bed with you both. And Harry, Gemima? Steer clear of Umbridge, okay? Don't get any detentions."

Harry and I nodded before Sirius' head disappeared and all that was left was the dying flames of the actual fire. I stood up and stretched before turning back around and catching Harry's eye. He'd been observing me. I guess I'd never laughed in front of him before. And we'd never hung out. It was a bit weird.

"So, you're my godbrother," I said.

"Nah, they don't exist."

I gave him a hand up, which they took. "But we have the same godfather, so I say we invent it."

He laughed. "Alright, Gemima. Godsister. I've always wanted a sister."

"Well now you have two," I told him.

"Two?"

"Yeah," I answered. "What? Did you think Draco was a boy? Not with that haircut."

"Now that's weird," he replied. He shuddered at the thought. I nudged him. It felt great to have another friend. A real friend. At least now I wouldn't have to pretend to like him, like my dad suggested. "I think one is just fine."

"Okay."

We both went up our separate staircase. Katie was already fast asleep when I entered, so I changed quickly and slid into bed. My last thought as I fell asleep that night was _Now that's an extra person on my list to protect_.


	6. Chapter 5: Slytherins

**Chapter Five**

The first day back was a Friday and I only had three subjects on those days. Potions. Charms. Transfiguration. I woke up early, with the help of Katie, and grabbed the bathroom first, to the shouts of my best friend. I got washed quickly and dried my hair with a charm, letting the unruly curls hang down my back. I knew some of my professors responded unfavourably from the sight of my curls, even Severus had at the start, but I wasn't going to keep my hair tied back everyday just to appease my professors. After dressing in my school robes, I exited the bathroom, avoiding a particularly nasty stinging hex. Katie, herself, ducked into the bathroom to get ready.

With this extra time, I took the chance to dig around inside my trunk to discover my necessary textbooks, as well as some parchment and ink. I placed it all neatly into my off-the-shoulder bag and waited for my roommate. I'd also added the book on animagi from Flourish and Blotts into my bag for some light reading, just to refresh the facts I needed to know for tomorrow's session with Severus.

"Gem!" came the call of Katie.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me with my hair?"

I padded into the bathroom (Katie always did her hair after washing and dressing). Katie was standing in front of the mirror, her long hair strewn across the place. "Don't you have any more hair cream?" I wondered.

"No," she sighed. "Mum won't buy any more. Says I use it too much."

I nodded to her through the mirror and pulled my wand out. I waved it, non-verbally casting a charm that would comb her hair in less than a second before securing it in a high pony-tail that was perfect for school. I stepped back to let her see my work. She squealed, giving me a quick hug before disappearing back into the room. I followed after her, pulling my bag off the bed and slinging it onto my shoulder. Katie did the same before we got into a debate of the best quidditch team like usual – The Holyhead Harpies (mine) verses The Chudley Canons.

Breakfast was a quick affair. Most of the professors weren't even there considering there was only fifteen minutes left until first class. Katie and I sat down at the Gryffindor Table. "Fred told me something interesting last night," said Katie. "Fred and George bought their own joke shop in Diagon Alley. They're going to set it up during the summer. Cool, right?"

I made a non-committal sound.

"Oh, come on, Gem, you know you're going to love their store just as much as the rest of us."

I let out an indulgent smile. "You're totally right." Then, I changed the subject. "Hey, do you want to go flying tomorrow night? The pitch is free. Training doesn't start until next week."

"Sure," she agreed.

Potions was an easy affair. We brewed a wit-sharpening potion to recap the ingredients. Professor Snape, as I was supposed to call him in public, set an essay on this potion – five inches. Due next lesson, which was Monday. So, we had the weekend to do this essay. Severus always did enjoy setting mountains of homework. Charms and Transfiguration were the same – we recapped the hardest part learned last term to get us back into the mindset.

I was heading back to the common room after Transfiguration when I saw Matthew Prewett, the good-looking sixth-year Slytherin. He was walking in the opposite direction, no doubt going to his common room. I had no intention of stopping to talk or acknowledge him in the school hallways and it seemed he didn't either as we passed each other without fault but three seconds later… "Hey, Black," I heard.

I turned around to face him. "Yeah?"

He walked back towards me, a cute smile on his face. "I just wanted to say that Weasley was bang out of line on the platform and you handled it really well." He shifted his hands into his pockets. I hadn't noticed him there but, well, I hadn't noticed him at all in the previous years. Which was weird, because most of the girls I spoke with had a radar for cute guys, even Slytherins, and loved filling me in on it. I had half of one, too, if the smile I was now sporting said anything.

"Thanks," I answered. "Matthew, right?"

"Yes. And you're Gemima, right?" he replied, although I could tell it was slightly joking. Of course we both knew each other's' names before now. I nodded anyway, my smile increasing. "I hear you play chaser."

"I do. So, you like quidditch? Do you play?" My tone might have seemed just a tad eager but any man gained a few points if he played quidditch. Especially if he supported my team, although I knew the majority of men would not get caught dead supporting an all-women team. Masculinity and all that stuff.

"I'm a Keeper," he told me.

"In more ways than one, I'm sure," I replied, tightening my grip on my schoolbag.

He laughed. "I sure hope so."

"Well, anyway," I started before it would get awkward and ruin the perfectly flirty dynamic we had going on. "I have to go. So, I'll see you around?"

"Definitely." He nodded.

I turned back around, walking back towards the Gryffindor Tower, taking extra care to make sure I wouldn't stumble or anything. I mean, how embarrassing would that be? Gosh, I finally understand why Katie acts the way she does around Fred. I'll never tease her again. I never felt that way about Nott, I'd met him when I was younger and he was friends with Draco for years.

I turned the corner. The next person who calls my name is not so interesting – just Draco. "I saw you talking to Prewett," he says, catching up with me.

"And?"

"He was asking about you last night," Draco said. "Asked if you were single. Zabini almost had a heart attack. He warned him off you."

"Why would Zabini care if I have a boyfriend or not? I – very publicly – declined his proposal. I humiliated him. He should hate me." I mean, it seemed as if he did. He glared at me and avoided me and whenever I walked past him in the halls, he'd make a comment. Nothing rude, I suppose, just annoying.

"How should I know? This is not a topic I want to stay updated up."

"You could have fooled me," I teased. "You always seem to know who I'm dating or who I'm flirting with." The tips of his ears turned pink. Aw, my little brother was trying to fulfil a big brother role. That was adorable.

"You were flirting with him? Yuck."

I laughed. "What about you, dork? Who are you going out with this week – Daphne or Pansy?"

"Neither. Anyway, Severus told me you wanted to become an animagus." I stopped walking, looked around us and decided that the school hallway was too public for such a conversation. I pulled him into one of the nearby classrooms and put up some notice-me-not charms and a Muffliato one. Then, I slouched at one of the desks.

"Yeah," I murmured as he took a seat near me. "I asked Severus to help me. We start tomorrow."

"Why do you want to become an animagus? You already know occlumency and legilimency and wandless magic. What more do you need to know to become an accomplished witch? You already are one." He sounded so frustrated. I knew he had experimented with legilimency last term with Severus but hadn't got anywhere. I reached out a hand and placed in on his shoulder. I didn't want it to seem as if he was inadequate or anything like that.

"It's not about achievement, Draco. I spoke with Dumbledore last night. I've joined The Order officially and this summer, you and I are going to be staying at their headquarters. I'll be going on some missions. Do you see how helpful it would be to just transform randomly into some type of animal? It could be the difference between life and death and right now I'm angling for any edge I can accomplish before then. Do you see?" I looked straight into his eyes to show him how serious this mess was. And I really hoped I'd turn into a useful animal, like I needed.

He nodded, seriously. "I can help you with those missions. I'll come with-"

"No." This time, I put both hands on each of his shoulders to express this sentiment. "Draco, you're not of age yet and anyway, this was my deal with Dumbledore, not yours. Okay? You're going to stay at the headquarters, safe. This is what Dad wanted. It's what I want."

He pulled me to him, wrapping me in his arms in a sweet hug, although it pulled me from my chair and I ended up kneeling. I didn't car, though. This was my little brother and I shudder to think of all the horrible things he'd have to go through if I wasn't here to protect him. He'd probably be forced to accept the dark mark. This way, he'll have a safer life. "Okay," he whispered. "But can I come to the lessons along with you?"

"Sure. Is this your way of asking to become an animagus, too?"

"No way," he balked. "I'd like to stay firmly human from now on."

I started laughing. "I'm sure your animagus will be a cute ferret. Are you sure you don't want that?" He released me from the hug immediately, letting me sit back in my previous chair.

"I'm sure," he said strongly.

"Okay, if you say so."

Draco stands, heading for the door. I pick my shoulder bag off the ground where it fell and follow him. The charms immediately break as we exit the classroom. Approaching us from the direction of the Slytherin common room is none other than Blaise Zabini. He slows down a bit when he sees us and eventually comes to a stop in front of Draco.

"Malfoy," he nods at him, and then looks past Draco, to me, where I'm standing with my back to the classroom door. "Gemima."

"Move along, Zabini," says Draco.

"No, I want a word with your sister. Now, get lost, Malfoy." Zabini pushes Draco out of the way a bit but Draco retaliates immediately, pulling out his wand and pointing it directly at Zabini's head.

"I told you to move along, Zabini."

Zabini ignores this, moving closer to me. I hold my ground flawlessly, not moving an inch to showcase any reaction I may have towards his frightening proximity. He's somehow discarded his school robe and jumper in the last ten minutes since classes ended. It makes him look ridiculous, in my opinion, as if he has to stand out from the crowd to beg for attention. And the white shirt really didn't suit his personality.

"What do you want?" I demanded. Draco moved his wand arm in front of Zabini, protecting me from his proximity. I feel discretely for my wand but it's in my shoulder bag, and if worse comes to worse, I can just use some wandless magic, even if that is less powerful.

"I think you know exactly what I want," he murmured, lowly, coming closer. He leaned closer, whispering horrible words in my ear. I push him away from me, slapping him across the face. His head cracks to the side, forcefully, and he retaliates, bringing his fist up. But Draco was ready and body-bound him with a strong hex. He froze and dropped to the floor, as stiff as a board. Draco tugged on my hand, pulling me away from him. He continues to pull down the corridor, towards the Gryffindor common room.

I look at Draco as he takes charge, leading me away from the deserted corridor. His face is set, determinedly. He looks so grown up. Before then, I had never really thought of him as practically an adult. He'd always been my little brother, someone to be protected, kept safe and happy. But, now, I realise that wasn't possible. He was already grown up and powerful. And, although, I would never let him accompany on any Order missions, I wouldn't treat him like the child he wasn't.


	7. Chapter 6: A Slytherin-born Gryffindor

**Chapter Six**

An animagus is a witch or a wizard who can turn into an animal at will. But only one animal and they can't choose that animal. The animal reflects their personality. And, even better, the process hinges on an electrical storm. An unpredictable electrical storm, which could take years to come about and every sunrise and sunset until that electrical storm comes about, I have to cast an incantation. One missed spell and I could end up half-toad.

But I wasn't going to change my mind.

"As you know," drawled Severus, pacing in front of the class. I was sitting atop a desk in the front row, with a practiced face of rapt attention. "The animagus process must be started under the fool moon with a mandrake leaf, but since the full moon was yesterday, you have to wait until February 4th."

"You did that on purpose, right?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. Can you cast a patronus charm?" He asked, stopping straight in front of the black board and writing _Expecto Patronum_ on it with his wand.

"No," I answered. "I haven't tried it before."

"It is above NEWT level," said Severus. " _Some_ people can't even produce a corporeal form. But it will be useful to know the animal you'll change into before you start the process."

"Definitely," I nodded. "If I get something like a rat or a badger, I will refuse to continue."

The corners of his mouth twitched. I knew he recognised the badger as the symbol of Hufflepuff house but honestly, loyalty and hard-work only get you so far in life, it's ambition and courage that get you the rest of the way. "The spell is _Expecto Patronum_ ," he continued drawling. "It needs a _happy_ memory to work." His lip curled as if that disgusted him and to others, I knew it would seem that way, but I'd know him for over a decade. It wouldn't fool me. I stood up, smoothing down my school robes and pulled out my wand from my robe. I held the wand out, facing the wall, and said, "Expecto Patronum," while thinking about flying a broomstick. That always seemed to make me smile.

Nothing happened. Not even a flicker. "Expecto Patronum," I said again. Once more, nothing happened. I turned to Severus. "Any better advice?" I remarked.

"Five points from Gryffindor for cheek," he replied, extracting his own wand. However, his face didn't seem angry or annoyed, just amused. I rolled my eyes. He always did enjoy deducting house points from Gryffindors.

"Ten points from Slytherin," I muttered, sardonically.

He raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to lose twenty?"

"No, no," I hastened to say.

"What memory were you thinking of?" He asked.

"Flying," I murmured, sitting back on top of the desk. My fingers brushed over some grooves in the desk, so I looked down to see _Snape the Snake_ engraved into the table-top. I returned my attention to Severus, not saying anything. He probably already knew anyway.

"Flying isn't a happy enough memory," he told me. "What makes you smile without any effort? What do you love most in the world? Think about the happiest time in your life. The memory with the strongest emotions. Then try it again."

I thought about my familiar, her feather and beautiful eyes and the instant bond we had established. I'd seen her last night before curfew. She'd greeted me happily. "Expecto Patronum," I cast, straightening my back and elongating my wand arm. Nothing happened.

I thought of my parents and their smiles and the love they had for me and the love I had for them. "Expecto Patronum," I repeated. Once more, nothing happened. I guess my parents were too contaminated with the present dark times and the bad decisions they'd made in their youth, especially my father. I clenched my teeth, growing frustrated.

Who else did I love? Draco.

I thought of my brother and how he protected me yesterday before once more recasting the spell aloud. But, again, not even a flicker of the white light I knew was supposed to erupt from the tip of my wand. That memory had led me to think of the horrible words of warning that Zabini had whispered in my ear yesterday. My grip tightened. How did a memory of my brother not work?

Then, I thought of my father, Regulus Black, the man I'd been told about all my life. The perfect hero who had defected for his beliefs. Who had named me Gemima because I was a gem in his eyes. "Expecto Patronum," I said, a tear leaking out of my eye. I wished so desperately for this memory to work. If it didn't, I knew the pedestal he sat upon would crash and burn and suddenly this great hero would be no more. He would just be a man that died before I could meet him.

As if a gift from the heavens above, a blinding white light finally sprung from the tip of my wand – more like a wisp, really. Nothing corporeal, I noticed, but it was still more than I'd had before. The light faded and my wand dropped to the ground. Severus was there, pulling me into a comforting hug. "It wasn't a happy memory, was it?" He whispered.

"No," I whispered back, my voice coming out as a strangled sob.

"This spell works with the memory with the strongest emotions connected to it. Happy, yes. But, also, anger and sadness." He pulled back, wiping the tears away. Unlike other people, he didn't ask what this memory was about. He allowed me to keep it private and hidden deep within the cockles of my bleeding heart. He drew back. "Okay. That's enough for today. Keep practicing the patronus charm. Same time next Saturday." I recognised that as the dismissal it was. I brushed away any remnants of tears and cast a glamour charm to ensure nobody would guess that I'd been crying. It wasn't good to let someone have that much power over you when you didn't know what they would do with it.

I picked up my wand and walked towards the classroom door, only glancing back when Severus called my name. "Gemima?" I turned my head. "I'm proud of you." A smile wormed its way onto my face before I left the classroom, trudging my way back up to my dorm.

My dorm was empty like usual – Katie was out flying with Fred and George and Angelina. I could even see them out of the window closest to my bed – dipping and looping and hanging off their brooms sixty feet above the ground. I watched them longingly for a moment. They had invited me to join them, sincerely wanting my company (that was something I admired about the four of them – they forgot my opposing heritage easily and accepted me without questions) but I'd had to say no because of my meeting with Severus. Any edge, I reminded myself, meant a bigger chance of surviving.

I pulled out my potions textbook from my trunk where I'd dumped it last night, as well as parchment and ink, and headed towards the library to work on my Wit-Sharpening Potion Essay. I got there relatively easily – avoiding any unwanted confrontations, which had seemed especially hard since Christmas Break had finished. First Weasley, then Zabini in less than twenty-four hours. Well, I thought, I'd never avoided confrontations in the last six or so years, so why start now? The library was empty, just like my dorm, so I settled in easily and started on my essay.

Three and a half inches later, I yelped when my side started to burn. I struggled with my robe for a minute, pushing my bad and ink-pot over in the process and attracting the attention of the librarian until I pulled the red-hot galleon from my pocket and hid it under my textbook as Madam Pince hurried over, a cross expression evident on face.

"Miss Black," she scolded. "What is all the racket?"

Err… "I'm sorry, Ma'am," I murmured, lowly. "I – I knocked my ink-pot over." And yes, right on the floor by my side was my ink-pot or what was left of it, anyway. I started to pull out my wand to remedy the situation when Madam Pince beat me to it. With a swish of her wand, the ink-pot was mended and the ink returned to my pot. "Thank you."

"That's fine, Miss Black, just don't do it again."

I nodded and when she disappeared back behind her stacks of books, I breathed a sigh of relief. Making sure she was really gone, and nobody else was paying attention, I slid the fake galleon out from under my potions textbook.

There, on the galleon, where the coin's made-by date should have been was today's date and beside that was the time 19:00. I guess today was the next Defence meeting. I subtly cast the spell _Tempus_ which revealed the time was 6pm. One hour. I slid the coin back into my robe (into a more secure pocket) and packed my things up. Dinner had already started, without my realisation, and, as my growling stomach told me, I was hungry. I stacked my things into my bag and hurried out of the library.

Katie and Angelina were already seated at the Gryffindor table when I arrived, so I settled in beside them. "Hey, guys," I mumbled, quickly adding some food to my plate.

"Hey, Gem!" said Katie brightly. "You missed out on a lot of fun today."

"I know," I sighed. Then I noticed that Angelina was looking at something over my shoulder – at the Slytherin table. I turned around to follow her gaze. My eyes rested on Draco and Zabini – I could hear impassioned whispers, especially from Draco. Zabini was the first to notice my eyes on them and when he did, he smirked at me, then winked. Draco pulled his wand, muttering lowly to Zabini. I couldn't hear anything of what they were saying but the facial expressions revealed quite a serious conversation. I shot a worried look as he shifted away from Zabini and next to Daphne Greengrass. When neither of them made any more moves, I turned back around to face the girls.

"I wonder what that was about," giggled Angelina. "Hey, Gem, do you know? Malfoy is your brother after all."

"Er, no," I answered. "But they've never really liked each other so it doesn't surprise me." With that weak explanation, the conversation shifted, and I continued eating.

"You know," said Katie. "Umbridge put up another rule this morning. No PDA. Boys and girls have to be eight inches apart at all times. Ridiculous, right?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "The ministry needs to back off-"

"Speaking of Umbridge," muttered Katie. "Guys, the meeting starts in half an hour. Can we go back to the common room and drop our bags?"

"Sure," answered Angelina, pushing her plate away. "Are you coming, Gemima?"

"Hmmm-mmm," I answered, taking a good gulp of pumpkin juice and a bite out of a carrot. After I swallowed, I said, "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." After one more gulp of pumpkin juice, I grab my bag and follow the two out of the Great Hall, shooting one last glance towards Draco, who seems deep in conversation with Daphne Greengrass and her sister, Astoria. He doesn't look up.

"So," says Angelina as I catch up with them at the doors. "Katie tells me you have your eye on a certain Slytherin."

"Well, according to Katie, I have my eye _only_ on Slytherins, so you're going to have to be more specific." The halls are deserted at this time as dinner is still going on but there are barely any Gryffindors at the house table, so I'm guessing they're already getting a head start on the meeting, like us.

"More than one?" Teased Angelina. "Wow, Gem." She slings her arm over Katie and I's shoulders. "I did not expect that from you."

"Oh, yeah?" I reply. "How's George these days, Ange?"

She blushes but doesn't remove her arm from around our shoulders. "Good, yeah," she answers.

"So, he hasn't asked you out yet?"

"No," she groans. "I don't know what to do. Katie and I have done everything. We've made it very obvious that we like them but… nothing. It's driving me insane."

"Here's a wild thought," I tell them as the portrait swings open to reveal the semi-empty common room. "Maybe you should tell them."

"No." This time it's Katie who speaks up. "That's not how it's done."

"Yes, it is," I argue. "It's the nineties. Freedom and-"

"And war and prejudice," finishes Angelina.

"Only in this country," I counter. "Have you been to Europe? The women are so sophisticated. They do what they want and say sorry later. It's so refreshing. British people say sorry too much, I think." Then as an after-thought, I add, "And the food, that's great, too."

Katie and Angelina laugh. Katie and I head up to our room, promising to meet Angelina in the common room in a few minutes. I had just locked my bag inside my trunk when Katie said, "Do you really think I should tell Fred?"

I looked up. "Yeah, I do. I mean, what's the worst that is going to happen? Fred's a nice guy… he's not going to humiliate you or anything."

She bit her lip, nodding and headed into the bathroom.

I found my charm bracelet under my pillow and secured it on my left wrist. She came back a few seconds later and then we met Angelina in the common room.

Appearantly, the meetings were held in the room of requirement on the seventh floor because it's easily defendable and really hard to find. Katie and Angelina quickly filled me in that The Inquisitorial Squad, formed by Umbridge, was trying to discover the meetings. And Draco was apart of this squad. I shrugged at that information – it wasn't like I thought he'd purposely rat me out if he knew I was a part of the group.

"So," I said as we reached the sixth floor. "How come I was left out of these meetings at the start?" Katie stumbled but Angelina steadied her and they continued walking in silence for a few moments.

"Well, you see," started Katie.

"You're a Malfoy," interrupted Angelina. "We didn't know if you'd tell your brother or not, so everyone decided it was best…"

"To exclude me based on my family," I finished. "Huh. Reminds me blood purity, in a way. I mean, don't purebloods exclude half-bloods and muggleborns because of _their_ family?"

And while my tone of voice conveys nothing more than an innocent musing on my part, I knew both of them could tell it was more. It was funny, I thought, both sides of the war were doing the same thing – excluding individuals without a thought. At least the Death Eaters were open about their beliefs, instead of preaching pureness and coming up short-handed. Not that I agreed with the Death Eaters but… you can see my point. It would be so easy to come together and put all this behind us but no… death was the answer. It's also kind of ridiculous considering they locked Grindelwald up in Numengard for decades and he was on-point with Voldemort. Why didn't they kill him and save themselves a cell?

We reached the seventh floor in barely-contained silence. I wasn't angry or anything. I understood exactly why I had been left out but… it kind of hurt. Katie and I had been friends for six years practically. Had she even said anything for me?

Katie hurried away, checking the incoming corridors for anyone lurking before pacing in front of an empty wall. She paced three times and these giant, intricate doors materialised from the brick wall. It was amazing, I had to admit. Even after growing up in this world, some things still took my breath away and this was one of them. Katie pulled on the handle and held the door open for us while we slipped inside.

The room was already full, I noticed, of mostly Gryffindors – The Weasleys (excluding Ronald), Harry, Hermione, The Creevey Brothers, Nigel Wolpert, Lee Jordan… you get the picture. The room went silent when I entered. "What's _she_ doing here?" Said Lavender Brown, a Gryffindor in the year below me.

"I think that's kind of obvious," I drawled. Brown (Gosh, imagine if we were paired up by – Black and Brown) really got on my nerves, so it was no wonder that I took the time to avoid her when possible. Unfortunately, this time it was not possible. This, along with the conversation from before, was really making me rethink my presence here. Was it really worth it?

"Guys," said Harry, coming forward to stand beside me. Katie and Angelina had already blended in with the crowd. "I asked her to come. If you have a problem with that," at this, he looked at Lavender Brown, "come see me, okay?" Harry gave a little push on my back, directing me into the crowd. I headed to stand by Hermione at the edge of the crowd, nowhere near Katie or Angelina. Merlin, tonight's going to be really awkward. "Right. Today we're practicing the _Reducto_ spell. It essentially blows up an object. Everybody, make lines in front of the dummies."

Off to the side of the room, were about five grey dummies (kind of looking like Death Eaters, I guess) on each wall. About three or four people lined up in front of each one. "Okay," continued Harry at the front, in front of a mirror decorated by photographs and newspaper clippings. "Hold your wand like this." He demonstrated the movement. "And say 'Reducto'."

In my line, there was Hermione at the front, then me, then Nigel Wolpert. Hermione stepped up, brandishing her wand with the correct wand movement and said, "Reducto." The dummy split into several small pieces and crumbled to the ground. Hermione smiled brightly, before giving me an encouraging smile and standing beside Nigel to watch me. I took a deep breath, knowing that I had attracted the gazes of the majority of people in the room.

I wasn't sure what to do – show them that Severus had already taught me this spell in third year when Sirius Black had 'escaped' or show them a weakened version to make them seem more at ease. In the end, I pointed my wand at the reassembled dummy and said, "Reducto," in a strong, clear voice. The spell shot out from the tip of my wand and hit the dummy straight in the heart. The dummy started to crumble into fine dust.

I could still feel the gazes of others watching me but in the end, I had decided that I wasn't going to let them intimidate me. I would show them that a Slytherin-born Gryffindor could be powerful and still be trusted, even if it took forever.


	8. Chapter 7: My Mentor

Chapter Seven

Ash let out a soft hoot as she caught sight of me entering the Owlery. She was perched on the edge of the window, surrounded by other owls. She preferred it up here, in the Owlery, rather than in my dorm. I'd set up her cage by the window, perfectly grand and clean and ready for her but she spends most of her time up here or flying around the grounds anyway. As I step closer to her little huddle, she opens her wings and, with a quick flap, lands on my right shoulder. I reach up to pet her, sitting down on a further window ledge to overlook the grounds. When I straighten my legs, she lands on them instead, peering up at me with her beautiful eyes.

She comforts me, I admit, in a way nobody had ever accomplished before. I pet her grey feathers, enjoying the serene moment. It was Sunday night, after dinner, and everyone had returned to their common rooms to relax and socialise before another stressful week of school – or for others, to finish off the overgrown pile of homework they leave for this time each week. After last night's meeting, Katie and I had both made our own way back to our dorm. Angelina, the twins and Ginny had accompanied her, too. I knew they were more her friends than mine, but… We'd not spoken all day and instead, we'd avoided each other.

It was for the best, I thought. I'd been remembering all the times we had spent together and most of it consisted about talking of quidditch or school-work or the Weasley twins – nothing else, nothing _more_. I'd known it for a while but had ignored it. For such a long time, she'd been my closest friend in Gryffindor and now, I had nobody. Sure, there was Harry and Hermione, who I'd always spoken to, but they were in the year below and I barely saw them. And, honestly, who cared if she liked Fred? The whole school knew about it by now, even Fred, and if he didn't ask her… what does that say? Still, that was my friend gone.

Well, what could you expect for a Black or even a Malfoy in Gryffindor?

"Hey," said a new voice. I jumped, startled. Ash blasted her wings, flying off the tower and into the open sky. My leg slid and I almost tumbled off the ledge and into the mocking air below. Unlike Ash, I had no wings. Of course, it wouldn't have been that bad – I knew _Arresto Momentum_ after all. Instead, a strong hand reached out grabbed my arm, steadying me quickly and effectively. The person was now very, very close to me and I had to crane my neck upwards in order to see that it was Prewett.

"Thanks," I murmured, leaning back against the wall, now steadied. Ash was still in the air, flying over the grounds, definitely in her element. I could just sense her happiness and I knew that flying over Hogwarts was her favourite activity.

Up close, I noticed that Prewett did indeed have green eyes but it wasn't just green, there were flecks of yellow and gold. His black hair was barely curling and sat tastefully on his head. And he was wearing muggle clothes – jeans and a button-up. And we were impossibly close and I couldn't move back (we'd already seen the outcome of that) and it didn't look he would be moving anytime soon. Of course, a Prewett had to be in Slytherin for a reason. I glanced behind me at the giant drop waiting unsuspecting students and considered the _Aresto Momentum_ spell… I'd love to jump now… that risk… that excitement.

But it was the sound of his voice that drew me back to the present away from the pretty amazing stunt I was considering. "You're not going to jump, are you?" He said, finally leaning away.

"Of course not," I murmured, climbing to my feet and stretching.

"Well, you wouldn't know with you Gryffs, would you? I had to ask." He pushed his hands into his pockets, shrugging as if the possibility of jumping from one of the highest points in a seven-floor castle was completely a normal occurrence for him. Then he turned his gaze back to me, surveying me. His gaze was completely thorough, analysing me from top to bottom. For a moment, I felt uncomfortable but then I leaned back against the wall, expelling the image of a relaxed persona. "Then again," he continued with his critical eye. "I doubt _you'd_ do that, right?"

The tone of his voice made me bristle. And this was the reason he was placed in Slytherin… the ability to know what you want and use your arsenal to get it, including charm and charisma. Right, when I'd met him in the hall, he'd seemed sweet and charming. Obviously he saw something in me he wanted, or something I had. Perhaps he'd been speaking to Zabini or Nott.

"You never know," I responded, coolly, keeping my speculations to myself. Now that we were alone, he seemed less playful, more condescending. "Us Gryffindors are anything but predictable."

"Don't I know it," he answered, taking a step forward. I couldn't step back then but I knew if I could, I would. It was dark behind us, the sky completely black with some twinkling stars. To my right, Angelina's owl, called Raven, hooted loudly, flapping its wings. Prewett didn't look away. "Hogsmeade coming up, you know."

I hummed. Of course I knew – it was next weekend to give a bit of cheer before full-time studying started. And everyone, in every house, was talking about it none-stop. I sat back on my former seat, closer to the edge than before, slipping the tip of my wand into my hand. "Yes, it is."

"Do you have any plans?" He leaned impossibly closer. "If not, I want you to come with me." Yesterday, I would have said yes straight away but after this encounter, my feelings had completely changed. He was a complete an utter jerk. And I wouldn't be accompanying him to St. Mungos let alone Hogsmeade.

With incredible ease, I leaned back. An offended, partly shocked, look took over his face before gravity took the better of me and I started to plummet. He let out the sound of a wounded animal before reaching out to try and pull me back. I laughed, an incredible, thrilling laugh that rose and rose as I got closer to the ground. This was the reason _I_ had been put in Gryffindor, why I had been pitted against my family.

My thrill-seeking habits. My foolishness. My courage.

" _Arresto Momentum_ ," I cast at the last moment. I came to a screeching halt a centimetre off the ground before the spell broke and I fell flat on my face. I'd twisted somehow in the last five seconds. I had landed softly in a patch of grass at the base of the tower, squarely near the Quidditch Pitch, after curfew, with the doors locked and barred. Above me, I noticed Prewett's head sticking out over the edge before disappearing as I stood up. I brushed myself off, bringing out my broomstick that had become a constant fixture on my wrist and mounted, before entering the Gryffindor tower the same way I had just days ago.

Katie looked startled as the window opened and my broom slipped in first and then I. A strangled, surprised noise came out of her mouth but I ignored it and her. I grabbed the latch on my trunk and dragged it into the bathroom with me. I didn't want to stay in that room any longer than I had to and searching for my clothes would have given her some time to say something.

I found my clothes easily and after washing, I pulled them on and returned my trunk to the end of my bed. I got into bed soon after, pulling the curtains closed around me.

 ** _Four Weeks Later_**

The next four weeks passed quite quickly – I poured myself into my school working, practicing my patronus (which still wasn't becoming a corporeal animal) and Legilimency and Occlumency and generally brushing up in all areas in magic (except Divination because that's rubbish).

I hadn't spoken to Prewett since that night but I'd seen him around. He'd winked at me a couple times but nothing more, not even when we were seated next to each other in Potions. And we still were partners, for the rest of the year. Great!

Tonight was the full moon, finally. February 4th. Severus had acquired a few (about six or seven) mandrake leaves from Professor Sprout. He'd had to do it because I didn't want the ministry to know what I was doing – illegal, I know, but in my best interest when everything's considered. And Severus agreed! I was going to start the process tonight, in about an hour, at five, when the moon rose. My palms were sweating but I couldn't stop smiling. A couple of first years had sent me odd looks earlier before turning to each other and gossiping about my weird mood.

Currently, Severus and I were practicing the patronus charm again. "Come on, Gemima," said Severus, snidely. "It's been weeks. Weeks! Even the first years can do better."

"I doubt it," I retorted. "Most of them can't even put their hair into a pony-tail."

"Just think of your memory and do it again. Concentrate."

"Expecto Patronum," I enunciated, holding my wand up straight. Once more, a non-corporeal white light burst from my wand. I threw my hands into the air, letting my wand clatter onto one of the nearby desks. "Please, Severus. Let's stop. It's Sunday, I'm tired, you're tired. Let's face it – I'm never going to get this. It's been _weeks_. It's never taken this long before."

I flung myself onto the desk behind me, relaxing on the stiff surface. Hours! It had been hours and my stomach was rumbling a lot. There was still just under an hour left before the full moon and I knew, I just knew, that he wouldn't let me stop until then.

"Sit, Black," said Severus, pointing at the chair in front of the desk I was currently lying on. I groaned as I slid off and settled into the chair. "What characteristics would you describe yourself as having?"

"What's the point of this?" I groaned.

"Answer it, now."

"Urgh! I don't know. I'm smart, er, reckless, I guess. Bold. Impatient. Lazy. Why is this important? Can't I go back to making a complete fool out of myself?"

He slammed his palms down on the table, dramatically. His robes swirled behind him in a panic. I didn't react – I was too tired. "No," he told me sternly. "You've never given up before. And I'm not going to let you start now. You wanted this. Now, you're going to deal with it. Do it again. This time think about the qualities you listed. Your animal reflects you."

This time, I didn't stand up. Slouched as I was in my chair, I lifted my hand up lazily and said, "Expecto Patronum," in a bored tone, thinking of the qualities as he said, combining them with the image of my biological father. Smart, reckless, bold, impatient, lazy. Smart, reckless, bold, impatient, lazy.

This time, it was not a blob of nothing that emerged from my wand. Instead, it was an animal – a beautiful animal. My animal. It flung itself from the tip of my wand, spontaneous and gorgeous. It was luminescent, of course, but the eyes spoke to me – a inspiring grey that spoke volumes, that took an ordinary colour and made it spectacular. The eyes were familiar, I knew, because I had a pair myself. I guess that was one thing that didn't change during the transformation.

The animal, I thought at first as it pranced around the room, was a fox, common and uninspiring like the eyes. My shoulders slumped a bit but as it vaulted itself closer to me, my perception changed. Not a fox, not a dog, but something similar – a jackal, I realised. My mother and I had come across one on one of our many excursions onto other continents. It had ran in front of me – I had jumped back as if I was about to be petrified – and then it had run off. Our guide had explained what it was. That experience stayed with me for ages and sometimes I even caught myself remembering the smooth shady colour of its fur and how fast it ran.

Perfect, I decided, lowering my wand. The jackal spun around the room another time before dissolving into nothing. Severus said nothing, a common occurrence.

"Again," he said, lifting his wand, casting the charm himself. A magnificent doe jumped from the wood and flew around the room in circles as my jackal had done moments ago. I lifted my arm once more, with my wand extended, and followed his example. The luminescent jackal burst forth once more and joined the doe in its adventure. They ran beside each other amicably, uncaring of their different species or their place in the food chain. Friends, allies, I realised, like Severus and I. Mentor.

A funny thing about casting the Patronus Charm with someone else is that it revealed the truth of your relationship. How the animals interact is how you feel about each other.

Severus saw me as an ally, I realised, a friend. We trusted each other in the society that encouraged hatred over friendship and that would never be destroyed.

I smiled at him as our wands lowered.

My friend, my mentor.


	9. Chapter 8: A New Mission

Chapter Eight

The mandrake leaf was annoying. There had been a couple incidents in the last two weeks where I'd been surprised, or was eating, and the leaf had almost come out. No wonder there was barely any animagi in the world. The process was so bothersome. Only two weeks left, I reminded myself.

I had just finished eating breakfast on the Saturday after Valentine's Day – I received a card from my brother, like usual, and I sent him one, but besides the generic ones, I hadn't received anything truly interesting – when a first year Slytherin sauntered up to me with the ease of pureblood society. I thanked him, like one ought to, and looked down at the folder parchment. I cracked it open, reading the unfamiliar scrawl.

 _Please come to the Headmaster's office immediately, Miss Black._

 _-Albus Dumbledore_

I ripped the parchment up and set it on fire discretely, watching as it withered away. I collected my bag from the bench beside me and slung it over my shoulder, mouth closed and the mandrake leaf still inside. I headed up the stairs, avoiding the stairs of Nott, Zabini and even Prewett as I walked past the Slytherin table, and headed down the corridor towards the awaiting gargoyle which spun open when it spotted me. Nifty little charm, I thought, I'll have to figure out what charm that is.

I walked up the stairs, running my tongue over the mandrake leaf in my mouth, a habit that I had picked up in the last two weeks. Professor Dumbledore with a serene smile sat behind his desk. I greeted him, coolly, not exactly polite, not exactly rude. He was helping me after all, but he was also using me and I was barely seventeen. Then again, he'd been playing Harry Potter like a muggle's fiddle from the time he could walk. It was just the way his world spun.

"Miss Black," said he with a spark in his eye. "I know that we agreed you would be starting missions come summer but I have an urgent one now for you. It is up to you, of course, but it would really help those innocent in this country." I looked up at him from under my spiralling black curls.

Well, I realised, looking at his body language, I didn't have a choice in the matter if I wanted this deal to continue. "I'll take the mission," I told him. "But don't pretend as if I am more than a pawn in your eyes. Someone as old as you, headmaster, should have learned that there are others in the world that are better at reading between the lines."

"Of course, Miss Black," said he.

He rose from behind his cluttered desk, scouring his untidy shelves until he came upon a regular looking notebook, about the size of my palm. He presented it to me with a sweep of his hand. I took it without restraint. There was no need for pretences here. I knew my place, my duty, just as he knew I knew.

The pages of the notebook were yellow and there was absolutely no writing on any of the pages. But, still, magic vibrated from within. Still examining the book, I dropped my bag to the floor. "What is this for?"

"Have you travelled by portkey before, Miss Black?"

"Of course," I answered.

"Well then, I suspect you know what this is. It will leave in two minutes exactly, starting now."

"What is the mission?" I demanded.

"Three order members took on a mission yesterday evening without my knowledge. They were attacked, one was killed, but the other two have yet to return," he said, returning to his desk. He sat down softly, looking at me over his spectacles.

"You want me to find them and bring them back to Headquarters?"

"Yes, preferably before Monday."

I glared at him intensely. What a great deal of information, I thought. He was being purposely vague. Well, whatever. I would do this and I would succeed. Neither of the other two would come back dead and they would be sipping tea back at Headquarters within an hour.

Then, just as I remembered the portkey, I reached down to pick up my bag and bring it along but before I could, the portkey heated and I was whisked out of the headmaster's office. The last thing I head from the headmaster was, "I believe the answer you will seek is on the last page."

I landed gruffly on a hard patch of terrain and, as I looked around, I realised I knew this area – it was section reserved only for Wizards and Witches. Godric's Hollow, a wizarding village.

I picked myself up easily, brushing the dirt of my robes – my Hogwarts school robe over a pair a white skirt and a red blouse. There was nobody around, even though the sun was high in the sky and the wind was refreshing. A beautiful day, I noticed. Ironic. There was a cemetery to my right and a cobbled lane on my left, lined with wizarding houses of every size and shape. Most were painted white but some were green and red and blue. I headed down this road, looking for any signs of destruction. But there were absolutely none – just houses and closed curtains, which was odd, I admit.

"Hey, psst," said a voice from behind me. There, through a window in the first house I had passed was a man waving at me frantically. He was waving me over. I turned directions, walking towards him, gravel crunching under my feet as I did so. As I approached him, he disappeared from the window and opened the front door, waving me in. I put my hand over my wand, holding it carefully, just in case. The man closed the door behind me. "What are you doing out here?" He demanded.

Well, I couldn't exactly tell him that, could I? "Why?" I asked instead. "What happened here?"

"There was a fight, girl," he said, gruffly, leading me into a moderately sized kitchen in the back of the house. "Death eaters, of course. It isn't safe to be out there, especially in _that_ uniform. They'll string you up just to make an example." I recoiled slightly, pulling off my school robes and folding them over my arm. He was right, I thought. Bloody Dumbledore.

"When did the fight happen? And what can you tell me about the participants?" I pushed, sitting down in a chair he gestured to. He was an older man, maybe in his fifties or sixties, with a short beard and dull blue eyes. But he'd helped me and that made up for any shortness in his voice and words.

He eyed me. "Yesterday. There were about three to seven. Seven Death Eaters, that is." He paused. "Dumbledore sent you, didn't he?"

I looked at him. "Yes."

He relaxed slightly, I noticed. Brilliant, a Dumbledore fan. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "So, please tell me what you can."

"What's Dumbledore doing sending out a little girl like you? What game is he playing? This is a _war_. There's no room for toys and games. People are dying. One of _your people_ died last night. And Dumbledore sends you as his back-up?" His tone was snobbish, up-tight. But, I understood exactly what he was saying. So, as an answer, I shrugged. "Fine! The two of them left got away – disappeared into one of the houses on the next road over, I suspect. Death Eaters have put up anti-disapparation wards. They're going to each house. Haven't been here, yet."

"What?" I said, startled. "Put up some wards. Keep them out."

"No point," he said, his tone rough, taking a gulp from the mug already sitting on the table.

"Of course there's a point. You can't just let them waltz in here, no matter who they follow."

"That's easy for you to say, girl. What are you? Half-blood? Pureblood? They won't kill you… they'll bring you back to their master, especially when they see that robe." He nodded at my school robes still draped over my arm. "Me – they'll kill me on sight, especially if they notice the wards. An enemy, they'll call me. And I am, to them – muggleborn."

"So? That's more reason to put up some wards. Keep them from killing you. I can do it – they'll never notice your house." I sat forward, staring intently at him. "Let me help you as you helped me, a stranger."

He looked at me again. "Fine!" he conceded.

I sat up quickly, withdrawing my wand. I rushed to the door, looking out the window beside it and, on noticing that the street was clear for now, I stepped outside. First I casted a notice-me-not charm over me, then the house. I added anti-apparation wards, which Severus taught me, as well as a disillusionment charm. I added a _silencio_ charm just to be safe, and a _mufiliato_ charm. I walked inside, locking the door magically so that no spell, not even _alohamora_ could break in.

I rushed around the house, closing windows and curtains and setting up any other wards I could think of. When I returned to the kitchen, there was a glass of butterbeer waiting for me. I thanked him before taking a big gulp, sighing tiredly.

"Who taught you that?" He asked, more kindly than he'd been speaking to me before. "Dumbledore?"

"No," I told him. "My mentor, Severus Snape."

He looked up sharply. "Him?" His tone conveyed his shock more than anything else. "I remember him. Fourteen years ago – he flew through Godric's hollow – ended up at the Potter's house. The whole street heard the cries. He loved her, Lily Potter."

I looked up sharply. "Lily Potter?"

"Yes – Lily Potter."

I slumped back in my seat. Wow. That was the reason for everything in the last two decades – he wanted to honour her, probably, look after her son. Go against those who had been responsible for her death. But that could wait until later – I had a mission for now.

"Those men from yesterday… I need to find them. Can you help me…?" I trailed off, realising that even though a lot had transpired since I'd met this man less than an hour ago, I didn't know his name. "What should I call you?"

"Nicholas Prewett."

"Prewett?" I demanded. "As in Fabian and Gideon Prewett? Matthew Prewett?"

"You know my nephew, I see. Well, you are about his age."


End file.
